Observer Unveils 3 New Sections

The Observer has revealed the details of three new tabloid sections to be launched on 3 January next year (see The Observer Creates New Sections): Screen, Cash and Escape represent the first major changes to be instigated by new editor Roger Alton who started at the Sunday broadsheet in July (see Observer Sees A New Editor).

Screen is to be dedicated to film and television and will also cover computer games and internet issues. The Observer claims that it is the first newspaper section which is dedicated to these subjects. Escape is a 24-page travel section and Cash aims to take a fresh look at personal finance matters and will also be 24 pages long.

Stephen Palmer, marketing director at the newspaper, said: “Screen , Cash and Escape are fresh and original sections designed to resonate those areas of interest most closely pursued by readers and potential readers of the Observer.”

In the latest ABC figures, out this week, the Observer recorded a drop in circulation of 45,908 copies year on year for the six months to November. For this period, the paper sold an average of almost 400,000 copies per week. The Sunday Times sold 1.3 million, the Sunday Telegraph 831,000 and the Independent On Sunday lagged behind in the Sunday broadsheet market with average sales 222,000 each week.

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