The publisher has converted three French-language broadsheet newspapers to compacts in the last year. Le Soleil is the largest of the company’s paper to make this switch, with an average of more than 86,000 in circulation. The company has only one remaining broadsheet, the Montreal-based La Presse, and has no plans to change its format.

The change in size is an effort to attract readers who prefer a smaller paper, commuters and a younger audience, said Le Soleil editor André Provencher.

"The goal is to put our newspaper in the hands of news readers," Mr. Provencher said, adding the editorial focus of Le Soleil will not be altered. "Maybe the size of our articles will change, but not the editorial strategy."

This move coincides with the general trend of newspapers to save money on printing costs while gaining new readers. Publishers can usually cut their newsprint costs by about 6% by converting to a tabloid, said Chris Kubas,vice-president of Kubas Consultants, which advises the industry. While the move usually results in a boost in circulation of about 6 per cent in the first 12 months, industry data shows the gains usually drop off in the second year to a net increase of 1 per cent.

Source: Globe and Mail