Monday, October 07, 2002

Chicago Trib's RedEye should be a free daily

When you read this press release about the Chicago Tribune's new RedEye daily, you might be asking yourself why it costs 25 cents.
    With its tightly-edited mix of topical news and features coupled with its daily frequency, the RedEye edition stands out from other publications targeting young adults.

    "If readers give us 20 minutes, we'll make the most of their time," said Jane Hirt, RedEye co-editor. "We'll plug them in each day on everything from the top news stories to the hottest celebrity gossip, and not always in that order.""
Obviously RedEye is aimed at the 18- to 34-year-old demographic — readers who have eschewed paid broadsheets and any other paid content. They feel they shouldn't have to pay for news. If the Tribune Company, owner of the Chicago Tribune, made RedEye free and distributed it at the same locations as the rival Sun-Times, guess what would happen? The Sun-Times would be out of business in a few years.