Is PDF the answer?
PDF’s are pretty simple, most free dailies are available as pdf downloads, it’s a one-click solution with few extra costs. For paid papers it is more complicated. Giving away the whole paper is not an option, so the best alternative is making a special free PDF-version. In April 2005 the Financial Times started FTpm, a 2-page update, available from the website of FT as PDF and also distributed in printed format to offices. Big plans: first we take London than the rest of the empire, including Ireland. The news spread like fire. Type in - FTpm Financial Times - in Google and you’ll still get 639 hits, most containing the news of the launch. Only one hit, however, is relevant. But FTpm inspired many (see below). Most PFD-papers only publish 5 days a week. According to an article in Medialife, people can print it at the office and take it home on the train. A real mass medium the PDF-version never will be, not many businesses will encourage people to print their own paper before leaving the office. Also, attrackting advertisers does seem to be a problem as will be shown below. Not all papers use all possibilities, e-mail alerts or delivery and RSS-subscription are not always possible.
Spanish El Pais’ 24 Horas, was probably the first after FTpm. 24 Horas is PDF-only and is available in different regional and topical editions, some of them only to registered users. The paper is permanentely updated and counts 8 to 20 pages. Advertising is possible but still minimal in the editions I checked. Lay-out is pretty dull.
Dutch de Volkskrant 16.00 is a afternoon PDF-version only. It cannot be downloaded from the website but must be subscribed to via iTunes or RSS. Last Friday’s copy was 4 pages, no advertising (except for the publishers own media) but with a crossword and a nice layout.
Information’s 15.15 (Denmark), counts 8 pages in a very basic lay-out and can be downloaded from the website - daily e-mail delivery is also possible. It contains a Sudoku and TV listings. No advertising in last Friday’s issue.
Financial Times Deutschland FTD 17.00, is a daily afternoon PDF for subscribers only. Also frequent Lufthansa flyers and people with a special train-pass can get FTD 17.00. FTD also prints a special train edition: Kompakt. A similar preview edition is published by Handelsblatt as news am Abend and is available in train and at airports.
Toronto Star’s Star P.M. is available around 3.30 PM and is updated around 4.15 PM with financial news. It can be downloaded form the website in a 12-page or an 8-page edition, while also one-page downloads (Sports, culture, business) for the missing 4 pages a possible. E-mail alerts are also available. Star PM has a nice design and has advertsing on every page.
Guardian’s G24 is permanentely updated and is available in five editions: Top stories, World, Media, Business and Sport. The PDF’s can be downloaded from the website, design is similar to that of 15.15 (Information). RSS subscription or e-mail alerts are not possible while there is some advertsing in the paper.
Ottawa Citizen’s RushHour is a 12 to 20-page printed (4 days a week) and PDF-version (five days) paper with a real paper design and advertising on most pages. Readers can be alerted by e-mail when a new issue is available.
Corrierre della Sera’s Anteprima is not a PDF but also inspired by FTpm, it is a 4-page daily preview of Corrierre della Sera, only available in print in Milan in the afternoon.