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May. 29th The Wall Street Journal - compact

On October 17, the world’s most influential financial newspaper converts its international editions to the compact format.

It is obvious that this renaissance of the tabloid continues to impact on newspapers that are transforming themselves to meet rapidly changing needs of readers and advertisers who now easily toggle between a print and online world. Not only is the change of format worthy of attention, but, more importantly, the manner in which the WSJ editors will fuse their print and online editions.

Ironically, it is the advent and acceptance of a new technology, the Internet, that has contributed to this renaissance of an old one, the 400-year-old, smaller-format newspaper.

In a wireless world that is always “on”, readers want the portability and convenience of a small format, as well as the online ability to access important information whenever, wherever. Advertisers want new formats, such as are available in compact newspapers, and more efficient ways to reach readers.

The Wall Street Journal’s conversion to “compact” will offer both readers and advertisers the best of the print and online worlds. Of the 500 papers I have designed over the last four decades, these international editions are the most groundbreaking: they are truly integrated print/online publications designed to provide unsurpassed news and insight, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Think of the compact print edition as a daily news magazine containing all the most important news and information you need to run your business. Think of the online publication as a 24/7 resource for breaking news, as well as further research.

Tabloids are protagonists in a play about newspaper survival, adaptation to change and a spirit of renovation. It is, I believe, unstoppable. The “tabloidization” of newspapers is a global phenomenon. We will see how, one by one, the largest and best-known newspaper titles around the world will make the transition to smaller formats.

Readers of The Wall Street Journal are among the savviest, busiest and best informed in the world. They will now be able to enjoy a newspaper that contains the same credible, top of the line business news report they are accustomed to, but will also find the smaller format easier to manage, faster to scan, with a total fusion to the online edition, and just about the perfect combination of short, medium-sized and in-depth articles.

One thing is for sure, with The Wall Street Journal’s international editions in a compact format, we reaffirm the idea that a small-format newspaper can pack exactly the same credibility and reliable content as a standard one -but can be much easier to read. For the culture of the always on, the message from The Wall Street Journal is clear: we, too, are always on.

Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia on May 29, 2007