Journalists at The Observer have been told there will be more space
for news when it relaunches in Berliner format early next year, writes
Zoe Smith.
Journalists were briefed on plans so far in a meeting with executives on Thursday at the British Museum.
Plans
to introduce earlier deadlines because of the new presses have raised
concerns that the ability to cover stories breaking on Saturdays would
be limited.
However, journalists have been told that news will be
central and it will take more space within the paper. One journalist
said they got the impression that elements of the newspaper would have
a Newsweek feel.
Another said: “The Observer is already pretty
lightweight in some areas as Sundays tend to have more of a lifestyle
feel than the dailies, so any changes to the paper will simply be an
extension of that trend.”
The relaunch of The Observer as a
Berliner-size full-colour paper follows The Guardian’s switch to that
format on new presses in September.
Observer executives declined to comment.
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