Göteborg: The making of a successful weekend newspaper edition
Posted by Andreas Larsson on June 4, 2008 at 7:18 AM
At the sixth session of the 15th World Editors Forum, Edward Greenspon, Editor-in-Chief of Canada's Globe and Mail spoke about the process of changing the design of his paper's weekend edition. The Globe and Mail did this to maintain readers and allow them to raise the price.
As at many papers, the Globe and Mail's weekend edition is its biggest moneymaker. But many weeekend editions are losing readers. The Globe and Mail, on the other hand, has avoided this while even raising the price .
What's the story behind a successful weekend paper?
The story begins with Mr Greenspon being informed of plans to raise the price of the weekend newspaper edition. How could he as an editor justify this to the readers? Only by improving the weekend edtion, he decided. He went about this by creating more feature stories and in-depth reporting, a task that he called, "more pleasure than duty."
Four key principles were implemented. The weekend edition had to be:
- smarter
- more visual
- web-paper integrated
- more accessible
The sections were more defined than earlier versions and all were redesigned. The business section that was lagging the most. To improve this, the system of stock listings was removed and instead replaced by comments and analyses by financial journalists. As a result, the readership of the business section went up 250 %.
Other developments included the introduction of an essay to please intellectual readers. The Globe and Mail also made it possible to comment and debate the weekend's essay afterwards on the website, an aspect of the web-paper integration.
The Focus section combines magazine and interview elements, as well as a lot of science news in response to readers wishes. In turn, science photos are published on the website.
Globe Sports, Globe Life and Style, Globe Travel and local sections for Toronto and British Columbia were redesigned as well in accordance with the four key principles.
Finally all section fronts were distinguished by different colours. Bright and bold colors had a positive impact. All in all, the project has been a succes; the price of the Globe and Mail newspaper weekend edition went up January 1st and the readers have remained.
As at many papers, the Globe and Mail's weekend edition is its biggest moneymaker. But many weeekend editions are losing readers. The Globe and Mail, on the other hand, has avoided this while even raising the price .
What's the story behind a successful weekend paper?
The story begins with Mr Greenspon being informed of plans to raise the price of the weekend newspaper edition. How could he as an editor justify this to the readers? Only by improving the weekend edtion, he decided. He went about this by creating more feature stories and in-depth reporting, a task that he called, "more pleasure than duty."
Four key principles were implemented. The weekend edition had to be:
- smarter
- more visual
- web-paper integrated
- more accessible
The sections were more defined than earlier versions and all were redesigned. The business section that was lagging the most. To improve this, the system of stock listings was removed and instead replaced by comments and analyses by financial journalists. As a result, the readership of the business section went up 250 %.
Other developments included the introduction of an essay to please intellectual readers. The Globe and Mail also made it possible to comment and debate the weekend's essay afterwards on the website, an aspect of the web-paper integration.
The Focus section combines magazine and interview elements, as well as a lot of science news in response to readers wishes. In turn, science photos are published on the website.
Globe Sports, Globe Life and Style, Globe Travel and local sections for Toronto and British Columbia were redesigned as well in accordance with the four key principles.
Finally all section fronts were distinguished by different colours. Bright and bold colors had a positive impact. All in all, the project has been a succes; the price of the Globe and Mail newspaper weekend edition went up January 1st and the readers have remained.
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