Following its launch in 1827, the London Evening Standard has relaunched as the Standard, moving to a freely distributed weekly title in the capital. The new title will continue to report on the latest news, politics, business and entertainment every Thursday.
The move from daily to weekly
The announcement back in May, that the London Evening Standard would be repositioning as a weekly edition, prompted considerable speculation about the title’s future. This shift to weekly publication would be a first in the nearly 200 years of consistent daily distribution. Indeed, not since October 2009, when new ownership terminated multiple daily editions and made the paper free, has it seen such radical change.
The Standard has long been an iconic part of London life and this new distribution plan helps protect the title for the future. The key part of adaptation will be how they report on news. We anticipate a slight editorial shift to reviewing and long-form journalism rather than breaking news, offering readers a new way to engage with the content.
Change for the capital
With the move to weekly, we expect to see a more robust paper better serving the needs of the London audience. With the increased presence of entertainment and nightlife ahead of the weekend it will become a real guide to Londoners on what's going on in the city. Albert Read was appointed last month to the role of executive chairman of the London Evening Standard, bringing 25 years of experience in magazine publishing from Condé Nast. He said: ‘As the Standard embarks on the next phase of its journey, its new weekly print publication will set the bar high, reaching new readers, and reflecting the dynamism and excitement of London.’
Quality journalism remains
Following the shift, we can anticipate that clients are going to welcome this new bumper weekly edition, as it will become a real moment in the week for London. The environment will remain high quality, preserving the excellent standards we have come to expect from the journalists and commercial teams at the Standard. The new approach is fresh and will no doubt reinvigorate this iconic London institution.
With the Standard transitioning from a daily to a weekly publication, its aim is to maintain its relevance in a changing media landscape by focusing on long-form journalism and becoming a go-to guide for London's weekend activities. This refreshed version of the historic title has been welcomed in the city already since its official launch on 26th September.
