Free afternoon daily to launch in Toronto today

The free afternoon daily, t.o. night, that was announced in July, is set to launch today in Toronto.

According to the publication’s limited website, the glossy “evening newspaper” will be distributed “weekdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the downtown core.”

Jodi Isenberg is editor of t.o. night. Isenberg worked at the Toronto Sun for 12 years in various roles before joining Metro in 2001, where she later became editor-in-chief. She left Metro in 2008 and moved on to short contracts at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.

Larry Cornies, former editor of the London Free Press, wrote about the upcoming launch on his blog:

“Detractors of the new venture are eager to point out that afternoon freebies in Hogtown have been tried and failed before; that the time lag between editorial deadlines and distribution through boxes at subway stops and hoarse street hawkers, no matter how tight, is no match for electronic information delivery to handheld devices, and that Toronto’s downtown commuting sophisticates will be easily bored by hours-old Canadian Press copy, TMZ-type newsfeatures and the occasional column.

“None of which fazes Isenberg, who envisions a companion website down the road. For now, though, she’s focused on the impending rollout. ‘It’s a really great concept. I think we’ve got a really good shot at reaching people who, just like the morning commuters, are captive. They’re sitting there, they want something to look at,’ Isenberg said. ‘It feels really right. It feels like it’ll be a great success.'”