Fed: Fairfax broadsheets to be downsized as part of restructure

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2007
Fed: Fairfax broadsheets to be downsized as part of restructure

SYDNEY, April 26 AAP - Size does matter, according to Fairfax Media, which has decided
to reduce the width of its flagship newspapers The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

The size of the two broadsheet newspapers will be reduced next year as part of a significant
restructure by publisher Fairfax Media, the company said in a statement.

The company announced details of the changes to staff this morning.

Under the changes, the current A3 height of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald will
remain the same but the width of the pages will be cut.

"Broadsheets have been our currency for 175 years, and we are sticking with them,"

Fairfax chief executive David Kirk said in the statement.

"Readers turn to our broadsheets for quality, integrity, authority, incisiveness and
the very best journalism in Australia.

"But size does matter, and it is time to give our readers what they keep telling us
they want: a slightly narrower broadsheet so that they can spend more time with our newspapers."

Mr Kirk said the company would implement "a narrower broadsheet format for the SMH
and The Age in 2008" but did not specify a changeover date.

The company has not yet finalised what the new size will be.

"We will continue to consult with readers, editors, advertisers, agencies and other
parties before we announce more specifics towards the end of this year," Mr Kirk said.

Fairfax's move follows the Brisbane Courier-Mail's switch from broadsheet to tabloid
last year, and will leave The Australian and The Canberra Times as the only major metropolitan
newspapers with a traditional, full size broadsheet format.

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KEYWORD: FAIRFAX

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