There And Back Again
By Neil Dodds
20 June, 2006
Britain's Guardian newspaper continues to pioneer. Yesterday's announcement, however, looks to some observers like a step backwards. Very shortly, the newspaper will be launching what it calls a "downloadable news digest." In practice, it's going to be a 12 page pdf version of the newspaper's top stories, which can be printed off by readers and carried on a metro or a coffee break. You can see a preview copy here.
Why print? Surely news is moving inexorably online. Is the Guardian's pdf version a rearguard action from a newspaper which declared only last week that it plans a 24 hour online edition, putting stories on its website before they reach print? Not exactly: The Guardian's pdf will be updated every 15 minutes, so it's also going to be as up-to-the-minute as the website.
Additionally, it's a good business move. A 12 page Guardian could compete with any of Britain's numerous freesheets. It keeps the newspaper's brand in the freebie market, where rivals have lost ground. Better still, the newspaper doesn't need to pay any print or distribution costs for its freesheet: Getting hundreds of thousands of copies to every Tube station is a costly logistical nightmare, but having your readers print it themselves makes for substantial savings. Moreover, the Guardian has announced that British Telecom will be sponsoring the pdf edition, so the costs, which let's face it, are likely to be small, are covered at least. In all, a good move for the Guardian.
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