The Westmeath Examiner is a broadsheet

Broadsheet

Broadsheet is the largest of the various newspaper formats and is characterized by long vertical pages . The term derives from types of popular prints usually just of a single sheet, sold on the streets and containing various types of material, from ballads to political satire. The first broadsheet...

 newspaper

Newspaper

A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...

 in Westmeath

County Westmeath

-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. It was founded in 1882. The Westmeath Examiner is a sister paper of the Westmeath Independent which circulates in the Athlone area of the county

County

A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...

. The Westmeath Examiner circulates in the north of the county and is based in Mullingar, the capital town of Westmeath. In May 2004 both papers were sold by their owners Martin Nally

Martin Nally

Martin Nally was an Irish politician and farmer. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála for the Mayo South constituency at the 1923 general election. He was re-elected at each subsequent election until lost his seat at the 1943 general election...

 and Ronald Carroll to Celtic News

Celtic News

The Celtic News is the Irish based subsidiary of the Scottish Newspaper group; Dunfermline Press. The Celtic News has bought several titles in recent years for multiple millions of euro...

 - a subsidiary

Subsidiary

A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...

 of the Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 owned Dunfermline Press

Dunfermline Press

The Dunfermline Press and West Fife Advertiser is a weekly Scottish broadsheet newspaper, based in Dunfermline, Fife. With average sales of 21,852 the newspaper is read by more people in the Dunfermline area than the other quality newspapers combined...

 - along with the third sister paper Offaly Independent

Offaly Independent

The Offaly Independent is a newspaper that covers Tullamore, Ireland and the surrounding area. It is published by Celtic Media Group.The newspaper temporarily changed its name to the Obama Independent for its June 20, 2011, edition to commemorate U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Moneygall...

 for a sum believed to be in excess of €20m.

According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the paper had an average weekly circulation

Newspaper circulation

A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...

of 9,687 during the first six months of 2006.