By Alistair Smout
LONDON (Reuters) - A new 'pop-up' weekly newspaper aimed at the 48 percent of Britons who voted unsuccessfully to stay in the European Union is being launched this week in what its publishers said was an effort to cater for people feeling a real sense of loss.
"The New European," costing two pounds ($2.65) a copy, will hit news stands on Friday and on the following three Fridays, mostly in areas that voted to stay in the EU in last month's referendum such as London, Liverpool and Manchester.
Whether it continues any longer than that will depend on sales. Publishers Archant said that after the fourth issue, "every week's sale will be a referendum on the next."
Archant, a family-owned business which owns several regional newspapers in the UK, said no other paper will have been delivered to the market so quickly.
"The paper will offer those feeling dismayed and disenfranchised by Brexit a non-political focal point, bringing together the extraordinarily broad spectrum of people who feel a real sense of loss after the Leave vote victory," Archant said in a statement.
"The New European is not aligned with old political divisions but with an enthusiasm and love for Europe; a new quality newspaper that gives voice to the values of the 48 percent," it added.
The first edition will feature contributions from journalists across Europe including Tanit Koch, editor of Germany's Bild, and Wolfgang Blau, former journalist for the Guardian and Germany's weekly Die Zeit.
Media analysts will be watching its progress closely at a time when the British print newspaper industry is struggling as readers turn to online news.
In May, publisher Trinity Mirror (L:TNI) closed its "New Day" title - the first national print newspaper to launch in Britain in 30 years - just two months after it was launched.
Two months earlier, The Independent had become the first national newspaper to go digital-only.
While the publishers of the new paper say that "Remain" voters are not well served by the traditional print media, starting a new title in the faltering newspaper market is far from a guaranteed success.
Will Hattam, chief marketing officer at Archant, said it would continue to serve its audience as long as they wanted it to.
"What's exciting is that the story of this paper isn't yet written - its sprung into life, driven by the events of the last few weeks," he added in a statement.