London's Evening Standard is to become a free newspaper.
Publishers say they will more than double the circulation from 250,000 to more than 600,000 each day when it axes its 50p cover price on October 12.
The move follows the increased pressure from free newspapers in the city in the past few years, although one of these, thelondonpaper, was closed last month.
Andrew Mullins, managing director of the Evening Standard, said: "Sustaining a paid-for afternoon newspaper had its challenges even before the freesheets were launched in 2006.
"There are so many competing distractions to potential readers, particularly with new technologies.
"Being a quality newspaper with large scale and reach should transform our commercial fortunes."
Russian billionaire Alexander Lebedev, who bought the paper from the publisher of the Daily Mail, said he thought other newspapers may follow the lead.
Mr Lebedev, chairman of Evening Standard Ltd, said: "I am confident that more than doubling the London Evening Standard's circulation and maintaining its quality journalism is what London deserves.
"An essential fabric of a free and democratic society is high- quality journalism. It acts as a deterrent against corruption and is a way to highlight what is beneficial and worth celebrating.
He added: "I want to invest in newspapers in general for this purpose and in the London Evening Standard in particular. The Standard has been producing exceptional journalism since 1827 and that is not going to change under my ownership."
