Ballymena Guardian

The Ballymena and Antrim editions serve the densely populated areas of South, Mid and North County Antrim. Since its launch in 1977, the Guardian has grown to be one of the the largest circulating weekly newspaper in Northern Ireland with a weekly readership greater than 60,000. The Guardian is unrivalled in terms of reputation and popularity. Over half of the Borough's total population of 58,500 live in the town of Ballymena. The Borough, with the town of Ballymena as its centre, covers 200 square miles of one of the loveliest parts of Antrim. The Borough includes rich farming country and has among its industries, those associated with agriculture and textiles. Ballymena is the regional administrative centre for many organisations in the North - Eastern part of Northern Ireland, including the Health and Social Service Board, Education and Library Boards and Government Departments such as Inland Revenue and Social Security. It is also a popular retail area with a mixture of High Street Stores and traditional locally run outlets. Farming and agricultural food related industries also play a major role in the economy of the Borough. The Borough also has a strong manufacturing industry base. A central location within Northern Ireland with good roads and rail communication network. It is served by the M2 motorway and with a station on the Belfast to Londonderry rail-line. The International Airport is only 18 miles away and the Belfast City Airport is 30 miles from Ballymena. Alpha is a major shareholder of the new Ballymena radio station - Seven FM.