Rupert Murdoch has overseen the printing of his new title, the Sun on Sunday, as questions continue to be asked about alleged criminality and corruption at other News International titles.
Mr Murdoch arrived at a printing press in Hertfordshire to personally witness the production of the paper, which fills a gap on newsstands left by the now-defunct News Of The World (NOTW).
An editorial in the new tabloid describes the closure of the NOTW as a "sobering experience" - and says The Sun on Sunday will be "fearless, outspoken, mischievous and fun", and will hold all journalists to account.
It has appointed a "readers' champion" to deal with errors and feedback from the public.
Its (Euronext: ALITS.NX - news) front page carries an interview with TV personality Amanda Holden, her first since the birth of her daughter, Hollie, which left Holden in critical condition in hospital.
Late on Sunday, Mr Murdoch tweeted about the paper's circulation figure: "Reports early, but new Sun edition sold 3m!"
On Friday he said we would be "very happy" if the paper sold more than two million copies.
Critics have argued the paper is a like-for-like replacement of the NOTW, which was shut down following criticism over the phone-hacking scandal.
But instead of running as a distinct entity to The Sun, with an entirely separate staff, existing Sun reporters will now have to produce seven editions a week instead of six.
Mr Murdoch stunned Fleet Street, and The Sun's newsroom, when he announced the SoS's launch just days before its first edition.
Staff morale is reportedly low because of the extra workload, on top of ongoing internal investigations led by News International's Management and Standards Committee.
Media (Frankfurt: 725292 - news) experts agree that there is a gap in the market to be exploited.
Douglas McCabe, media expert at Enders Analysis, told Sky News: "On one hand a launch into the Sunday market of national newspapers sounds like a fairly unlikely set of circumstances given the huge business challenges on all the existing publishers.
"But, on the other hand, ever since the News Of The World closed last July, News International has had a huge printing press that's been lying idle every Saturday night.
"So, in one sense, because the infrastructure for publishing a Sunday title exists at NI it's a no-brainer."
But the launch takes place against a backdrop of arrests, allegations, investigations and inquiries.
Ten former and current employees of News International have been arrested since last November (Stuttgart: A0Z24E - news) - a fact addressed in the SoS's editorial, which says the individuals concerned are "innocent until proven guilty".
On Friday, the police watchdog announced a new investigation into allegations a senior Met officer passed information to a News International executive at the height of the original phone-hacking investigation in 2006.
Three separate Scotland Yard inquiries are currently under way.
The Leveson Inquiry into press ethics and conduct has for months shone a spotlight on the seamier side of print journalism.
Some believe that, even if the new title distances itself from the questionable practices of old, too much damage has already been done to News International's reputation.
Journalist Steve Hewlitt, who writes about the media, said: "The launch of the (SoS) is going to give a kick up the backside to the Sunday newspaper market - it's a big, bold move, it's typical (Rupert) Murdoch, it's started with a price war, and to be honest most analysts I know think he'll succeed.
"However, none of this is going to solve the problems he's got coming down the tracks from three major police inquiries into phone hacking, email hacking and paying police officers."
12 comments