Standard Lite

By Rob Last edited 233 months ago
Standard Lite

newspaper.jpgThe Standard is thought to be planning a free version of the daily newspaper.

The slimmed down version will most likely be called Standard-lite and will only be available between the hours of 12pm and 2pm, so as not to step on the toes of the Evening Standard or the Metro.

The first two questions that spring to mind are: can the Standard really get any lighter? And, what will happen to the newspaper after 2 'o' clock. Will all the ink fade to nothing leaving behind blank pages and maybe the crossword?

Kevin Beatty (the new Fuhrer at Associated Newspapers) is yet to give the Standard-lite the go ahead, but it's widely beleived that something needs to done soon to stop the Standard's falling circulation numbers.

Since Veronica Wadely was appointed editor in January 2002, the paper's readership has been on a steady decline. And it seems her assurances that it's not the paper's fault but the fact that people prefer to listen to their iPods than read the paper on their way home, haven't cut much ice with the management.

And it seems things can get only worse for the Standard if ex-pornographer Richard Desmond wins his case with the Office of Fair Trading to distribute his own free newspaper (the London i) at the capital's railway stations.

Last Updated 29 October 2004