US: Florida newspaper cuts width to save costs

Posted by Rosemary D'Amour on December 1, 2008 at 2:00 PM

The financial plight of the newspaper industry has caused some papers to shut down, some to reduce days with printed copy or go entirely online. Tom Mcniff, managing editor of the Ocala Star-Banner, detailed in his paper's Sunday edition the latest way they are cutting costs: literally cutting the paper.

Starting Monday, the Star-Banner will be a column narrower than in the past. It is the latest of a "number of significant changes" to the paper in recent months, including a complete redesign of its layout.

Mcniff regrets that the changes have "reduced or eliminated features that [readers] enjoy," but the paper is operating during a time when expenses must be cut.

Reducing the size of the paper is significantly reducing the cost of newsprint. Although the paper will not be cut in its number of pages, the amount of space reduced by the move will mean some shorter stories, or even eliminated ones, although Mcniff insists that readers will still get stories that explain complicated issues in depth, "no matter the cost or space."

This isn't likely to be the last change the paper makes to adapt to and survive in a changing industry. "In fact," Mcniff writes, "change is a virtual certainty."

Source: Ocala via IFRA