Yellow Advertiser was established in 1976 when its founder, Ian Fletcher, came up with the pioneering idea for an advertising-lead, free, community newspaper. More than 30 years on, the paper is stronger than ever, with a reputation for leading successful campaigns and breaking important news stories. It has acted as a template for other newspaper businesses across the UK. Yellow Advertiser was bought from Trinity Mirror in August 2007 by Tindle Newspapers. Founded by Sir Ray Tindle using his de-mob pay out after World War Two, the company now has more than 220 newspaper titles and 14 radio stations. Yellow Advertiser currently boasts 11 titles throughout east London and Essex with a distribution range of more than 420,000 each week. It has community papers in Waltham Forest, Havering, Southend, Castle Point, Basildon, Chelmsford, Thurrock, Brentwood, Redbridge, Stratford & Newham and Barking & Dagenham.