The Financial Times has recently relaunched its weekend magazine with a new look and new content, it was reported today. While, according to the Guardian, Saturday editions have been growing and exceeding weekday circulation at most publications, the FT's weekend sales are thought to be weaker than those Monday to Friday.

The paper does not actually reveal precise figures for its weekend paper, which is published on Saturdays but remains in shops the following day, said the article. But only 35 percent of readers who buy the Financial Times during the week buy the Saturday edition, said Caroline Daniel, the newly appointed editor of the Financial Time's weekend edition.

"Daniel wants to increase sales by encouraging more of the paper's star writers to appear in the Saturday edition," said the Guardian, since she does not think there is enough "cross-marketing" between the two. She oversaw the relaunch.

Daniel said the magazine's relaunch is the first of many changes to be made to FT Weekend. Much content will be printed in the main newspaper abroad.

The newspaper will also have a new section called "Mind" with will bring together science, health and psychology columns as well as new quizzes and crossword puzzles. Plus, the food and drink section will include pieces on wine and dining, according to the pressgazette.co.uk Web site. The magazine will launch on October 2.

Sue Matthias, who used to be the editor of the New Statesman, will be the editor of the magazine that has a £1 million advertising campaign with the slogan "smart but casual," promoting a "bigger and glossier" magazine. The magazine will consist of 48 pages with better paper and more space for the "City's biggest characters, but a greater emphasis on personalities will not come at the expense of hard-hitting and exhaustive articles about politics and business," adds the article.

Another paper that has recently come out with a weekend edition is the Wall Street Journal. The new paper debuted on September 25. "The enhanced Weekend Edition--now called WSJ Weekend--will now feature new sections and expanded coverage, highlighted by provocative reports and essays on world affairs, business and culture as well as a range of personal and lifestyle coverage and content," according to an article by globenewswire.com.

As specialised business papers, the two have an immediate advantage over their general interest rivals in terms of persuading people to pay for their news both on and offline. It is interesting that both these financial papers have been focusing on their non-core areas and seeking to provide weekend competition to general interest publications - will they succeed?

Sources: The Guardian, globenewswire.com, pressgazette.co.uk
Image: The Guardian