The Chicago Tribune announced plans this morning to change the format of single-copy editions to a tabloid starting on Jan. 19. The home delivery editions of the newspaper will remain broadsheet. Publisher Tony Hunter, who unveiled the change in a memo, said: “Many consumers have been telling us that they wanted more ‘friendly’ packaging, while insisting the edition includes all the useful, high-quality news and information that’s in the broadsheet. They asked, and we will deliver.”
We asked Steve Cavendish, the Chicago Tribune’s presentation director, some questions that were not answered when the news was announced this morning.
Update: Why a compact/tabloid? Why now?
Cavendish: We’ve always known that there is a sizable portion of our readership that prefers the format and would read us as a compact. Every time we’ve done surveys or focus groups, there’s a segment (primarily commuters) whom we’ve had to tell “Sorry, but we’re a broadsheet.” Well, now we’re both. If you want a broadsheet, we’ll deliver it to your door. If you want a compact, we’ll sell it to you on the street Monday through Friday.
Update: What’s the new physical size of the paper?
Cavendish: The image area is slightly more vertical than square (by about a pica … thanks 48-inch web!).
Update: Will the new single-copy paper cost the same as the current broadsheet? What impact (if any) will this have on home delivery?
Cavendish: It will cost the same. It’s the same paper in a different format. It shouldn’t have any impact on home delivery.
Update: Did you consider going smaller for the entire run of the paper?
Cavendish: I’d say we’ve looked at a lot of different things, but that we still think that a lot of people have a broadsheet habit. When folks are sitting around the breakfast table, they prefer the sectioning that the format allows. When you’re on a train, like I am every morning, the compact format is very convenient.
Update: Does this put the Chicago Tribune in direct competition with your free product, Red Eye?
Cavendish: No. They’re aimed at different markets. Unless the governor of our state is trying to get some of us fired or we’re inaugurating one of our own as president, you’ll likely see different topics on the front of each publication.
Full memo from the Tribune’s publisher:
From: Hunter, Tony W.
Sent: Tue Jan 13 09:52:14 2009
Subject: Fully packed Tribune — now in a convenient carry-on sizeFellow owners,
Consumers will find a newly packaged and more compact version of the Chicago Tribune when they pick up their copies at newsstands, retail outlets or honor boxes all over Chicagoland on Monday. Starting on the 19th, all weekday single-copy editions of the paper will be published in a tabloid-size format.
Many consumers have been telling us that they wanted more “friendly’’ packaging, while insisting the edition includes all the useful, high-quality news and information that’s in the broadsheet. They asked, and we will deliver.
Editorial content in both editions will be the same. Expect to see Main News, Chicagoland, Business, Editorial pages and Sports in the new format. Sections such as Play and Good Eating will continue to be printed in the broadsheet format and will be inserted inside the tabloid edition. This is a single copy channel play; home delivery customers will continue to receive the broadsheet newspaper, and there are currently no plans to offer them the tabloid format.
We’re promoting the new tabloid version through a comprehensive consumer awareness and public relations campaign. Starting Monday you’ll see print, broadcast and outdoor advertising running over the next few weeks. Plus, to encourage trial of the new product, the newspaper will be free at retail outlets on launch day.
The tabloid edition continues the spirit of “It’s a Whole New Day.” The new edition of the Chicago Tribune reinforces the fundamental shift in the way we serve consumers and advertisers—listening to their feedback and implementing innovative solutions. This is just one of our company’s aggressive steps to solidify our position as Chicagoland’s #1 source of news and information. We’ve said standing still is not a good strategy, so it won’t end here.
Time to sell more newspapers,
Previous coverage:
- Tribune debuts redesign (Sept. 29, 2008): Trib takes big steps toward magazine-broadsheet as it also reduces page count and resections
- Chicago Trib shuffles design leaders (Dec. 18, 2008)
- About those changes in Chicago… (Jan. 8): Tribune presentation editor Steve Cavendish talks about changes to the redesign
Matt Mansfield is president of the Society and an associate professor for the Medill School of Journalism.
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