WP Launches Free Tabloids

The Washington Post Co. launched its free tabloid newspaper, the Express, which is targeting morning commuters, and began its distribution Monday morning.

The Express, which was mainly distributed at subway stations Monday throughout Washington, will be in a 20- to 24-page format and published each weekday. 125,000 copies of its first edition were in a 24-page format and 6 pages were filled with full size advertisements.

The Express was launched to compete with the arrival of free tabloids published from other cities into Washington and, in the long term, to attract a generation of Internet users as Washington Post readers.

The Express has drawn out its editorial policy to offer a quick shot of news and living information to a younger, busier crowd that may not be in the habit of tackling the daily newspaper. The editorial office of the Washingtonpost.com publishes the Express.

Free tabloids were first launched in European cities such as London and Paris, and later published in the United States in cities like Boston and Philadelphia.

Daniel Caccavaro, the former editor of the Boston Metro, another free tabloid paper that debuted in 2001, was assigned as the first editor-in-chief of the Express.

maypole@donga.com