Murdoch to launch Sun on Sunday in April, says source

I wrote a few things last year about News International possibly launching The Sun on Sunday, in the wake of the demise of the News of the World, and how it could be a success.

It all went quiet on The Sun on Sunday front after that as the hacking saga rumbled on. We’ve heard nothing since October, but apparently a launch could again be back on the agenda with the new paper on our newsstands as early as the Spring.

Labour MP, Tom Watson, who has personally done so much to bring the phone hacking story to light, has tweeted that the launch of The Sun on Sunday is scheduled for April, according to a source (see tweet below).

News International has issued a no comment, but as figures have recently shown since the NotW closed hundreds of thousands of its former readers have not gone to rival newspapers. This suggests there is still a market out there for another red top Sunday newspaper and it is one that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation wants a slice of again.

Will it as earlier suggested spark a new newspaper battle with Daily Mail owner, Associated Newspapers, launching a red top of its own?

There has been speculation that an Associated Sunday tabloid could be based on the Mail Online. We’ll have to wait and see.

A News Corp source tells me Rupert Murdoch has seen the draft designs of the Sunday Sun with a launch in April at a discounted price.

— tom_watson (@tom_watson) January 23, 2012