Times To Drop Broadsheet Edition Before Year End
The Times will cease publication of its broadsheet Saturday edition within two weeks, and is preparing to wind down production of its week-day broadsheet before the end of the year, according to reports this morning.
According to a report in today’s Guardian, sources close to the title claim the newspaper could publish its last broadsheet Saturday edition tomorrow, switching to a tabloid version for all subsequent editions in order to reduce the printing costs associated with dual publication of the large and compact editions.
The unnamed source also stated that the Times has plans to ditch its broadsheet edition altogether before next year, and has earmarked some of its £600 million investment in new printing presses for tabloid-only operations in Scotland.
The switch to tabloid-only publication would mirror that of the Independent earlier this year, and would mark the culmination of what appears to be a gradual phasing out of the larger edition (see Independent Ditches Broadsheet To Go Totally Tabloid). The newspaper has already ceased distribution of its week-day broadsheet edition in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the west country, leaving only the Saturday and Sunday Times available in large formats.
Representatives at The Times were unavailable for comment, although the title has placed increased emphasis on its compact edition in recent months. July saw the paper launch research into its readership which claimed it’s scaled-down edition is attracting a young, upmarket audience to the newspaper, which was traditionally been a stalwart of older readers (see Compact Times Proves Successful In Attracting New Readers).
More recently, The Times has announced a joint research project with the Independent to investigate the benefits of compact editions and boost advertiser confidence (see Times And Independent Join For Tabloid Research Project).
The Times has seen its circulation increase since the creation of its compact edition, rising by a total of 6.2% since the tabloid version hit news stands in November last year. However, the Independent has seen its circulation rise by a much larger amount, adding 21.1% since the launch of its tabloid edition in September 2003.
Despite its circulation boost, however, The Times remains firmly ahead of its tabloid rival, with a total circulation of almost 661,000 compared with the Independent‘s total of just under 265,000.
The Times: 020 7782 5000 www.timesonline.co.uk
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