Click here to visit the mobile version of winnipegfreepress.com

Winnipeg Free Press > Latest News > Free Press confirms new Sunday edition

Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Free Press confirms new Sunday edition

By: Staff Writer

15/10/2009 3:00 PM | Comments: 26

WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Free Press will introduce a new Sunday tabloid edition starting next month to replace the broadsheet version it has produced for the last 24 years.

The new product, to be called "On7," will carry breaking news, sports and entertainment stories and will only be available in vending boxes for $1 or on newsstands and retail outlets for $1.25. It will not be delivered to subscribers’ homes.

FP Newspapers Income Fund, which owns the Free Press, announced the change this afternoon.

But fear not, fans of regular Sunday sections, such as Homes, Books or Perspective. They will be included -- along with Sunday’s puzzles, comics and other features -- in an expanded Saturday paper called the "Free Press Weekend Edition," which will be delivered to subscribers’ doors.

Bob Cox, publisher of the Free Press, said the move is being done to combat falling revenues during the economic downturn of the past year.

"The Free Press will continue to search for ways to improve efficiencies while at the same time preserving the quality of Winnipeg’s best-read daily newspaper," he said.

 

To comment on these moves, please reply to  fpcirc@freepress.mb.ca
 

  • Rate this Rate This Star Icon
  • This article is currently rated an average of 5 out of 5 (1 votes).

    • We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

    You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

    Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

26 Commentscomment icon

I have been a subscriber for 2 years, and I wonder how many people like me are daily subscribers who care very little about the weekday editions of the paper, however there is not substantial savings to be had in only being a weekend subscriber. With this current move, I will re-evaluate whether I am receiving good value for my money, but i suspect the freep will be losing another customer as i am certainly not interested in accepting an "expanded" saturday edition. C'mon freep, your monday and tuesday editions are laughable as is, and you're concerned about having to further reduce content!! What a joke. Yes the freep survived before without a sunday edition, but i can also recall when stores were not open on sundays, point being things change over time and this move simply defies common logic. I do think the freep will save money, but only from all the cancelled subscriptions no longer requiring such costs as employee wages and newsprint!!

I worked customer service for a few newspapers for canwest. People complained like crazy just because the newspaper changed the font size! I even came across someone who cancelled because of this!

I suspect WFP will be loosing some readers due to this change. My condolences go out to those working at the WFP customer service call centre, it's probably really busy!

I concur with mg and metal2000...you'd really quit your subscription b/c there's no Sunday edition? Will you also stop shopping at Safeway if they decide to close one day each week? Do you change banks everytime they adjust their hours/days of operation too?
Come on, your at the store on Sunday anyway...if you have to pick up a tabloid, why not the WFP version?
And another thing...it's only been 24 years that you've had a Sunday edition of the newspaper...what did everyone do for the previous 110 years when the Free Press only published 6 days/week??

I quite agree with metal2000. I am a 7-day subscriber. I also hate the piles of advertising. If I want breaking news, I do go electronic, but nothing beats the hard copy when you want to relax.
Now, here is a thought...the carriers get to have a day of rest! Wow! My only concern for them, is, do they still get paid the usual amount, or is their wages going to take a hit.
For all those who are thinking of going to the "other paper"...I remember many years ago when the other paper decided to go tabloid style and everyone thought the WFP would go under beacause a tabloid style was easier to read on the bus.
Gee, how will you survive!!?? Nothing to read on Sunday.

I think this is not the bad thing most posters are making it out to be. I just last week cut back from 7 day to Saturday only sub. I spend time reading the paper but for the 10 articles I may find relevant or interesting it takes me 4 or 5 sections and a gazillion ads to sift through. The concept of all this paper to dispose of for the little benefit I find was the reason. I may find I am not happy with only browsing online and catching the evening news but I doubt I am alone and this is likely why the Free Press is needing to make changes. I know the ads pay the majority of the costs, but my feeling is that there is way too much of it.

I'm waiting for the arrival of the Apple tablet device in early 2010. The Freep's local content is pretty bunk these days (hello Lindor Reynolds and Doug Speirs!) and I can enjoy much more engaging content in my comfy chair with my morning coffee using a decent e-device and some better calibre journalism from afar. I can get good local news via Twitter - far more up to date than Freep's offerings.

This On7 intiative will cost you my home subscription.. and thanks for consulting your readership!

Once again a decision by a Winnipeg business that reflects no concern for customers who live outside the perimeter. No mention whatsoever from the Free Press of how decision affects those customers who have no access to vending boxes. One week it is closure of a rural TV station, the next the scaling back of our newspaper. Internet here we come. We seem to have few and dwindling options.

So does this mean that the cost of the seven day subscription will go down? For some reason I doubt it! If they only have to pay carriers for six days of home delivery should it not cost subscribers less? I bet the free press with pocket the savings instead of passing them on to us.

Let me get this straight. DUH! Excuse me if I'm wrong and should be shot on sight to put me out of your misery. The Free Press is losing money because they have to print the Sunday paper. So The Free Press will cancel the Sunday paper printing and print it anyway and include it in the Saturday paper (how can you include Sunday content in the Saturday issue?). Hold on, you'll be printing it anyway so no savings and besides, as one reader put it, most of the stuff that was printed on Sunday was already included in Saturday's paper anyway (Homes, Detour, etc... and of course the numerous sales flyers that are included. Will I be getting the same stuff printed twice in the same paper?). Who needs Tabloids anyway. Most normal people, if they are really bored read that while they are in line at the cash desk while in Walmart, Safeway, Sobeys where they keep all that crap, for free. For the die hard crap readers, they usually have a subscription to their home or office since they don't need more crap at home unless they live in a crappy home. My math may not be correct but this is. It all adds up to 'Goodbye Winnipeg Tribune, I mean, Winnipeg Free Press, thanks for the times'.

After many years of supporting the WFP I am very disappointed with this decision. My husband has been wanting to change to the Sun for many years and I would always convince him otherwise. I think he will now have a valuable point for going to the other side. WFP, re-think the decision or you risk losing many 7 day customers!

View all Comments

The comment period for this story has ended.

letters

Make text: Larger | Smaller

Special coverage

Our Communities

Poll

Should the province spend $3.1 million to keep Greyhound inter-city bus service in Manitoba?

View Results

View Related Story