News Corp looks to secure UK rivals print work

By Gavin Haycock

BROXBOURNE (Reuters) - News Corp NWSa.N's UK unit new 650 million pound presses will be used to print its own newspapers and possibly the newly acquired Wall Street Journal Europe and rival papers, it said.

News International's drive to pursue contract printing deals reflects its desire to seek additional revenue at a time when many newspaper publishers are combating circulation declines.

The company has three plants at Glasgow in Scotland, Knowsley in Liverpool and now what it bills as the world's largest at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, north of London.

The facility at Broxbourne is being used to roll out all four News International's titles -- the Times, Sunday Times, Sun and News of the World in colour.

The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, owned by twin brothers David and Frederick Barclay, will be printed at the site and a spokesman for News International said on Friday talks were ongoing regarding News Corp's recently acquired Wall Street Journal Europe publication being printed at the site.

"It makes sense. Nothing has been decided," he said during a briefing for journalists at the Broxbourne site.

The Journal, one of the world's most influential papers, is part of the Dow Jones business Rupert Murdoch's News Corp bought last year for $5.6 billion (2.8 billion pounds).

"Our investment of some 650 million pounds should be ample answer to those who believe the business of journalism, in print, is a business for yesterday's readers, not tomorrow's," said News Corp Chairman and CEO James Murdoch in a statement.