The newspaper, which opened in 1904, is to switch from daily publishing to become a major weekly title of around 200 pages. The decision had been made in response to significant changes in the marketplace and readers’ lives, says Northcliffe.
It is expected a final, daily edition of the Express & Echo will appear on Friday, September 2. The first weekly newspaper will be in the shops on Thursday, September 8, and will remain on sale throughout the week.
Steve Auckland (pictured), Managing Director, Northcliffe Media, said: “We are committed to giving the Express & Echo’s readers real quality and value for money - the new weekly edition of the paper will deliver on both. We need to adapt to changes in the market in order to survive and prosper. The plans for the new edition of the Express & Echo look excellent and I am confident we can offer both readers and advertisers added value.”
Marc Astley, Editor, Express & Echo, said: “Exeter is a much different city from the one that first embraced the Express & Echo in 1904. The population has become increasingly diverse with many of our readers now leading ever-busier lifestyles. It is clear to us that they value local news and their local newspaper but the majority of them simply do not have the time to buy it every day. We therefore feel that a weekly title would be much better aligned with the needs of our customers.”
Andrew Blair, Managing Director, said: “This is a significant change for the business and a major step forward for advertisers in Exeter and East Devon. They will experience an immediate benefit as we anticipate a single issue of the weekly to reach a much wider market than any single edition of the daily. We will still be the leading media in Exeter and the heart of Devon and our desire to serve our readers is as strong as it has ever been.”
The Express & Echo will continue to campaign vigorously on behalf of its readers, something it has gained a national reputation for in recent years.
As well as the new print edition of the Express & Echo, readers will be kept informed via the website thisisexeter.co.uk.
Northcliffe Media recently changed the Torquay Herald Express from being a daily to a weekly title and have announced similar plans for the Scunthorpe Telegraph as part of a wide-ranging review to improve the long-term success of the business. According to Northcliffe, the initial results from the change of the Torquay Herald Express have been encouraging for both circulation and advertising, with advertising performance for the first edition up 19% from an average full week of daily figures, and the first week’s circulation, albeit heavily promoted, more than double the most recent daily ABC.
