Harian Metro
Harian Metro is a Malaysian daily newspaper published by the New Straits Times Press. Launched on 26 March 1991 as a tabloid for readers in the Klang Valley, it later expanded to other regions of the country.
The newspaper is aimed at urban and younger readers, focusing on entertainment, shopping, lifestyle features, and current affairs within NSTP’s Malay-language portfolio.
History
1990s
On 26 March 1991, Harian Metro, Malaysia's first afternoon Malay-language newspaper, was launched. The cover price at launch was RM0.50. The first news editor appointed was Mior Kamarul Shahid. On 26 June 1991, the newspaper underwent its first redesign. In 1992, Ahmad Puad Onah was appointed editor. On 25 March 1992, the southern edition of Harian Metro was launched in Johor Bahru. On 1 April 1994, Zian Johari was appointed editor. In the same year, Harian Metro Edisi Timur was launched on 16 May and Edisi Utara on 1 August. On 29 August 1995, Metro Ahad was launched.2000s
On 17 July 2000, Harian Metro was redesigned with a new tagline, "Kini, Sini, Terkini". On 23 July, Metro Ahad also underwent a redesign. On 26 March 2001, Harian Metro celebrated its tenth anniversary. In the fourth quarter of 2003, Metro Ahad reached 1,068,000 readers.On 27 January 2004, official websites for Harian Metro and Metro Ahad were launched at Balai Berita in Kuala Lumpur. On 1 June 2004, Berita Harian Sdn. Bhd. appointed Hafifi Hafidz as executive editor of Harian Metro and Metro Ahad, replacing Zian Johari, who became executive editor of Berita Minggu.
On 27 July 2004, Harian Metro launched a weekly column titled Liku-liku Niaga, which was published every Tuesday in the business section. On 23 August 2004, a new pullout titled "Bintang dan Variasi Metro" was launched.
On 1 January 2005, the cover price of Harian Metro increased to RM1.20, while Metro Ahad rose to RM1.50; in Sabah and Sarawak, both titles were sold for RM2.00 per copy. On 6 June 2006, i‑Metro, an interactive portal for community contributions, was launched. On 15 July 2006, Harian Metro adopted a new layout with added sections on celebrities, lifestyle, health, and fashion; new nameplates were introduced, renaming "Bintang" to "Rentak Artis Popular" and "V‑Met" to "Variasi", while Metro Ahad replaced "Meta" with "Ekspresi". On 16 July 2006, Metro Ahad was also revamped.
On 1 March 2008, Abdul Ghafar Ismail was appointed executive editor of Harian Metro and Metro Ahad. On 12 April 2009, Metro Ahad launched the "GIGS – Gema Informasi Generasi Semasa" pullout, published on Sundays. On 13 April 2009, the cover price of Harian Metro increased to RM1.50 ; the "RAP" and "Variasi" pullouts adopted new nameplates. On 1 July 2009, Abdul Ghafar Ismail was re‑designated Deputy Group Editor; on 17 August 2009, Datuk Mustapa Omar was appointed as a Group Editor; and on 9 October 2009, Harian Metro launched the "AYU" pullout.