Guardian Stays Ahead With Downloadable Format

As national daily newspapers see their readership figures slide, the Guardian has developed a new method of staying on top of changing consumer patterns with the launch of a downloadable and printable A4 PDF document.

The free 8 to 12-page file, labelled G24, will be updated every 15 minutes and will feature news content from the Guardian Unlimited website across general news, international, economics, sport and media. Users can select any of the five news streams to download.

The Guardian hopes the service, which will be launched later in the summer with telecoms giant BT as its sponsor, will appeal to lunchtime and evening commuters wanting a live print-based update of the day’s events.

“Increasingly readers are demanding editorial content tailored to the time and place of their choosing, rather than to artificial deadlines dictated by old print production schedules,” said Alan Rusbridger, editor of the newspaper.

Newspapers are increasingly using the web as a platform for fresh content rather than waiting for the printed edition to be published before stories can be filed.

Last week the Guardian adopted a “web first” policy for business and international stories, putting newspaper stories online as soon as they are completed.

The Guardian: 020 7478 5240 www.guardian.co.uk

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