New L-T format debuts Monday
Feb. 23—EAU CLAIRE — Today's edition of the Leader-Telegram is a special one. It's going to be the last one you see that looks quite like it.
Monday's editorial announced some changes, and this is a reminder. The Leader-Telegram is changing formats. The simple reason is cost.
The past year has seen massive increases in the cost of newsprint, the paper we use for each edition. The cost is up 60 percent compared to last year, and that's on top of multiple years of increases. Suppliers have already informed us of more increases later this year.
Those kinds of increases aren't sustainable. We can't ask subscribers to absorb those kinds of hikes. Neither can we increase advertising rates by that kind of margin. While both of those areas have seen increases in recent years, there's simply a limit to how much is reasonable for anyone.
That leaves the newspaper industry with few good options. The best of the list for us is changing the physical format of the newspaper. Beginning next week, you'll see a page that's 14 inches tall and 12 inches wide, instead of a broadsheet. The net savings on each page is about 30%. Over the course of a publishing year, that adds up.
We are increasing the number of pages in the edition to make up for the smaller space per page. Some items will move around to new days, but we are not eliminating any of the features or local coverage.
And, no, the print size is not changing. We're keeping it the same. You won't have to squint to read the letters.
The new layout will bring each day's paper to readers in a single section, but we're designing it so things like the sports pages can be pulled out of the edition without disrupting the flow of either portion. Our goal is to ensure that people can continue to treat news and sports as independent sections if they prefer, sharing the paper among multiple readers.
The new format uses flexible page assignments that allow us to absorb increases and decreases in how much is happening in the region. Obituaries are a good example of how that works. We never know how many we'll receive until the day arrives, so we've designed those pages to be able to expand and contract based on need.
What isn't changing is our newsroom. We're not cutting reporters or beats. We're not cutting coverage or our dedication to serving the Chippewa Valley to the very best of our abilities.
You'll still find the features you want in our paper. Things will look a bit different, but the fundamental stories and photos will remain the ones you've welcomed into your homes for generations as we continue to tell the region's story.
As we said Monday, putting out a newspaper isn't free. It depends on the hard work of dedicated reporters, ad representatives, pressmen and others. There's a cost behind every single story we print. Part of that cost, as noted, is newsprint, and the costs are rising.
But the cost of cutting our paper back is higher. We believe in what we do and the value it has for our region. Studies have shown that less coverage from local newspapers is associated with less scrutiny and more spending by government. It means a less-informed community and one more void into which rumor and innuendo creep.
Ultimately, this is a move designed to protect the future of the community's newspaper. We plan on being here for a long time. Things may look different beginning next week, but the commitment to the Chippewa Valley remains the same.
