US: will freesheets unite?

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on May 22, 2007 at 12:18 PM

Some freesheet publishers in the US believe it is time for them to create their own association. Could this boost freesheets’ in the US, where they have spread less quickly than their European counterparts so far?

The potential association will be discussed at a seminar hosted by the St. Petersburg Times on June 18-19, the first in North America to be dedicated exclusively to free dailies, claim the organizers.

"As you probably know better than anyone, the newspaper industry has more associations than any industry I've ever run across, so we're a little hesitant to create another," said Henry Scott, managing director of newspaper product development company Gansevoort Media.

"But on the other hand there are issues that are unique to free dailies."

Scott argues that paid-for papers seeking to create free publications will also be interested by the association.

As free papers are just starting to grow in larger cities, where they are still strictly regulated, many publishers are considering the market’s potential. The next step for free papers in the US could follow the European example, away from general dailies to single-theme dailies.

According to Scott, at least one U.S. group is seriously considering launching a sports daily soon.

Source: Editor & Publisher through Ifra Executive News Service