The Frederick News-Post
Like some other newspapers around the country, The Frederick News-Post stopped printing editions every day in order to save money. Unlike other papers, on Feb. 6 it will restart its Monday edition. Publisher Geordie Wilson says readers “have made it abundantly clear that they want the print edition of their local paper on their doorstep seven days a week.” The newspaper is also selling ads in the Monday edition differently:
The paper was designed with fixed ad positions, which are being sold on contracts separately from the other days of the week. When spots fill up, no additional ads will be placed until demand supports an expansion of the paper.
The news release follows:
The Frederick News-Post resumes Monday publication
Almost three years after it suspended Monday publication as a cost-cutting measure, The Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD is announcing a return to seven-day publication on Feb. 6.
The move runs counter to a nationwide trend of newspapers eliminating publication days to save money. Industry reports suggest that more than 100 papers around the country have cut publication days in recent years.
“The Frederick market and The News-Post readership may not be typical,” said publisher Geordie Wilson. “Although we are not immune to the pressures newspapers are facing, our readers have shown remarkable loyalty to The Frederick News-Post over the past three years. They have made it abundantly clear that they want the print edition of their local paper on their doorstep seven days a week.”
The revived Monday edition will differ from other days of the week, Wilson said, with a different design, new features and a greater emphasis on business and sports coverage.
“Bringing back Monday gave us a clean slate. We took the opportunity to design a new kind of paper that will help readers get their week off to a good start,” Wilson said. “We hope it serves as a convenient weekly agenda-setter.”
The Monday paper also takes a different approach to advertising sales, Wilson said. The paper was designed with fixed ad positions, which are being sold on contracts separately from the other days of the week. When spots fill up, no additional ads will be placed until demand supports an expansion of the paper.
“Advertiser response has been tremendous,” Wilson said. “The first month is almost sold out, even before we’ve officially announced the resumption of Monday publication.”
The News-Post suspended its Monday publication in April, 2009.
“Our intent always has been to bring back the Monday paper,” said Myron Randall, president of Randall Family LLC, which owns The Frederick News-Post. “Our readers and our advertisers have told us that they rely on the paper and they want Mondays back. With the economy slowly improving, it’s time.”
