Irish River Media group is set to launch four paid-for local newspapers before Christmas, including a competitor against the Meath Chronicle.

According to local sources, the launch of the Meath paper is imminent. It is expected to be a colour tabloid targeting readers between ages 20 and 50, in accordance with the group's general strategy of tailoring publications to a younger demographic.

Tim Collins, co-founder of River Media, confirmed that one of the new papers would be based in Meath. However, he declined to give more details about the timing or format of the title.

''We have plans for three to four new titles this year,” he told the Sunday Business Post.

Meath currently has two weekly local papers. According to half-year audited circulation figures, the Meath Chronicle has an average circulation of 16,806 copies. Another weekly is smaller tabloid, the Meath Topic, which is not independently audited.

River Media, though in existence for only two years, is aggressively expanding and has already launched three titles this year, including a paper for the Monaghan region, the Monaghan Post, over the summer.

The company's other titles include the Letterkenny Post, the Donegal Post, the Leitrim Post, the freesheet Kildare Post, the Inish Times and the Derry News.

River Media is backed by Irish News and investors Collins and Padraig O'Dwyer.