The UK-based Jewish Chronicle (JC) has been acquired, for an estimated £2.5m, by a consortium drawn from politics, finance and media.
Founded in 1841, the JC is the oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper in the world. It is believed to have a weekly circulation of some 15-20k and is noted for its political and cultural coverage which – recently – included allegations of anti-semiticism in the UK’s Labour Party.
The acquiring group is fronted by Sir Robbie Gibb, a former BBC executive who was director of communications for former UK Prime Minister Theresa May.
The 179-year-old newspaper had been put into liquidation by its longtime charitable owner, the Kessler Foundation, which blamed the decision on the impact of the coronavirus on media revenue.
The new owners have promised to pay all creditors (including private donors who saved the Jewish Chronicle when it was under threat last year) and to retain the paper’s editor and staff. They intend to transfer ownership to a trust in order to safeguard its future.
Talks over a proposed merger with the 23-year-old Jewish News – a free weekly newspaper that serves the communities of North and West London – were ended when the JC was put into liquidation. It is thought that those negotiations might now resume.
