Independent Ditches Broadsheet To Go Totally Tabloid
The Independent has announced that it will go completely tabloid from next Monday, in a move that will finally consign the broadsheet edition of the paper to the scrap-heap.
The paper revealed that the number of people buying the traditional broadsheet edition was now so small that it no longer made business sense to continue to publish the title in two formats.
The Independent‘s leader column today reads: “This is not a decision we have reached lightly. We are proud of the Independent‘s traditions of in-depth reporting and analysis, of elegant layout and of bold use of photography.”
It continues: “We would not be making this change if we were not convinced that we can stay true to these traditions in our smaller format. The overriding principle of our compact edition has always been that, while the size of the pages may be smaller, there is no difference in our editorial quality or approach.”
The paper claims that readers have responded ‘overwhelimingly’ to the launch of the commuter-friendly tabloid edition, with around nine out of ten people choosing the smaller format over the traditional broadsheet edition.
The compact format was unveiled last September to appeal to commuters within the M25 region looking for an upmarket read in a smaller format. However, the launch proved so successful that the compact edition was quickly extended to the rest of the country (see Independent Prepares To Launch Tabloid Trial Version).
The last few months have seen the Independent gradually phase out publication of the broadsheet edition across the UK, with the full-sized version being completely ditched in Wales, Scotland, Ireland and South-West England (see Independent Ditches Broadsheet Edition In Some Areas).
The Saturday edition of the Independent has been available in tabloid-only form since the end of January and the paper claims that readers have responded positively to the smaller format which is identical in terms of content and advertising (see Independent To Launch Compact Saturday Edition).
Analysis of the latest monthly ABC figures shows that the Independent has seen circulation increase by a solid 9.6% since unveiling its compact edition at the end of September. This represents a significant victory for the paper, which had been struggling to keep up with its broadsheet rivals.
The move will come as little surprise to media planners, who have been speculating over the demise of the broadsheet edition for months. However, the move is not without risk and the paper is offering readers a week’s worth of half price vouchers.
It stated: “We recognise that we are asking readers who have continued to choose the broadsheet to change their reading habits, and that it may take time for them to feel comfortable with the compact format.”
The Times was quick to follow in the Independent‘s footsteps with the launch of its own compact version at the end of November. The Daily Telegraph is also thought to be on the brink of a tabloid launch and the Guardian is believed to be considering a mid-sized edition somewhere between a compact and a broadsheet (see Guardian Considers Midsize Edition To Boost Sales)
Independent: 020 7005 2000 www.independent.co.uk
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