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Motor Cycle News

Type	Weekly newspaper
Format	Tabloid
Owner	Bauer
Publisher	Paul Sloggett
Editor	Marc Potter
Founded	1955
Circulation	106,446[1]
ISSN	0027-1853
Official website	www.motorcyclenews.com

MCN or Motor Cycle News is a UK weekly motorcycling newspaper published by Bauer Consumer Media, based in Peterborough, United Kingdom. It claims to be "the world’s biggest weekly motorcycle newspaper"^[2]

The title was founded in late 1955 as Motorcycle News by Cyril Quantrill and was sold to EMAP in 1956. Bauer bought Emap's consumer media division in 2008.

The brand has expanded to include the MCN website, MCN Mobile, iPhone app, the 'MCN Compare' Insurance Comparison service, MCN London and Scottish Motorcycle Show and the MCN Live! at Skegness party weekend.

In 2009, average weekly circulation was 114,304 copies according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations,^[3] and 2010 it was 106,446 copies.^[1]

The Early Years [edit]

Cyril Quantrill was an employee of Motor Cycling under famous editor Graham Walker, learning his trade both pre and post-war. The British motorcycle media was traditionally dominated by two rival publishing houses - Temple Press with Motor Cycling and Iliffe with The Motor Cycle. Both were weekly magazine-format Thursday publications.

Using his growing skill-set, Quantrill recognised an opening for a Wednesday newspaper-format venture which could better-showcase sport - an area largely not covered by his employer Motor Cycling or The Motor Cycle

With his friend Peter Baldwin - whose father owned a print-works at Tunbridge Wells - Quantrill established his own publication Motorcycle News from a small office off Fleet Street and, in conjunction with Baldwin Press, produced the first issue dated 30 November 1955.

Limited by a 3,000 issue print-run capability and underfunding, Quantrill arranged to sell to EMAP in 1956. The issues were still priced at fourpence, but the title had changed to non-italic upper case MOTORCYCLE NEWS. Quantrill stayed on as editor and with EMAP's backing the brand flourished. By the time of Quantrill's resignation in 1961 circulation was at 67,000.^[4]

Quantrill continued working as a journalist, including as editor of Motor Cyclist Illustrated, published by City Magazines Ltd of London. Continuing Quantrill's earlier motivation of sports reporting, it had the strapline "the sporting monthly"

The Middle years [edit]

Motorcycle News as a sporting newspaper was pitched to beat the rivals to the newstands by one day. Both of the rivals were still magazine-format and remained traditionally producing practical and informative general coverage.

By 1962, the front page had been restyled by removing the centre-title, replaced by a corner masthead box, changing the text to three stacked short words with emboldened, larger initial letters. This created the MOTOR CYCLE NEWS which in the public mind became the common name and gave rise to the acronym 'MCN'

In March 1966 MCN produced a colour ten-year anniversary supplement with various contributors summarising the developments and highlights of the past ten years reporting, together with bike manufacturers' representatives stating their aspirations for future trading

In 1962, Motor Cycling had gone to newspaper format with more sporting coverage and with larger pages allowing for large action images. Motor Cycle, as it was by then known (having dropped 'The' in 1958) continued as a magazine until August 1967 when it joined with Motor Cycling to produce a newspaper format on Wednesdays,^[5] a sturdy challenge to rival MCN - Motor Cycle Incorporating Motor Cycling. The playing fields had been levelled.

The Later Years [edit]

The two publications continued as rival 'papers. Motor Cycle became Motor Cycle Weekly, which reverted to magazine format in 1983 in an effort to boost sales figures by then-publisher IPC before eventual closure in late 1983. MCN continued from strength to stength.

MCN Awards [edit]

MCN have been presenting an annual awards ceremony almost since they were founded in 1955. These included the popularity poll 'Man of the Year' and the overall 'MCN Machine of the Year' award:

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Official website