Chicago Tribune goes tabloid for single-copy sales

Posted by Leah McBride Mensching on January 14, 2009 at 5:23 PM

The Chicago Tribune will begin appearing in tabloid format beginning Monday for weekday sales at newsstands, newspaper boxes and in commuter stations, in an effort to increase single-copy sales, The Tribune announced in an Associated Press article Tuesday. Home-delivered copies will remain in broadsheet format.

"Many news consumers have asked for a more convenient version of the paper that contains all of the same great news and information," Tony Hunter, CEO of Chicago Tribune Media Group, said in a statement.

Many commuters have chosen the tabloid Chicago Sun-Times over The Tribune during rush-hour, as the more compact version is easier to read on trains or buses, the AP reported.

Tribune redesigned its broadsheet months ago, aiming for a 50-50 ratio of advertising and editorial content. However, the redesign was met by reader and advertiser objections, and Tribune promised to make changes. The new tabloid format for single copy sales is an avenue Tribune is using to cut into the market share of the Sun-Times, Mary Nesbitt, associate dean at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, told the AP.

However, Tribune insists it is trying to compete with other players, not just the Sun-Times, the AP reported.