Free Press announces changes to weekend edition

Last week’s reports that the Winnipeg Free Press was planning to discontinue its Sunday broadsheet edition and replace it with a tabloid called On7 have been confirmed by the company.

On7 will not be delivered to weekly subscribers and will only be available in newspaper boxes for $1 or on newsstands for $1.25.

According to the Free Press, the Saturday paper, which will still be
delivered to subscribers, will be expanded to include the puzzles,
comics and other features that were the regular Sunday features.

Publisher Bob Cox said in the Free Press‘s announcement:

“We’re tired of cutting. We want to build something that’s good and strong for the future. (On7) is a new model for how the Free Press publishes in Winnipeg. This move was made to protect the quality of the newspaper.”

However, prices for daily subscribers will not decrease with the loss of the Sunday delivery. A Q&A about the change (at the bottom of the announcement) states that “daily subscribers will not see a price decrease, but will not have any price increase this year and will have prices frozen for at least the next year” and “the Weekend Edition will cost more — $2 at newsstands. Weekend subscribers will see prices adjusted according to whether they are Saturday-only, or Saturday-Sunday subscribers.”