London, 13 June 2017 – Guardian Media Group (GMG) today announces that the Guardian and The Observer print titles will move to tabloid formats in early 2018 as part of three-year transformation programme announced last year.
GMG has signed a contract with Trinity Mirror to take on the responsibility of printing both the Guardian and The Observer titles from early 2018. GMG’s printing sites in Trafford and Stratford will be closed.
The move signals GMG’s ongoing commitment to high-quality print journalism, in a bold new format.
It will also make a significant contribution to the financial target set out by CEO David Pemsel and editor in chief Katharine Viner in their three-year transformation plan for Guardian News and Media.
The three-year programme includes building a deeper set of relationships between the Guardian and its readers, developing and growing the membership offering, restructuring the advertising business, and reducing the business’ cost base in order to break even at operating level by 2019.
David Pemsel, chief executive, Guardian Media Group, said:
“This is an important step in our three-year transformation plan. More people are reading and supporting our journalism than ever before, but the print industry continues to evolve, and we must evolve with it. We plan to continue the Guardian’s record of producing bold, brilliantly designed award-winning print journalism.
“This will impact a number of our print site colleagues and we will honour our commitments to them as part of the transition process to Trinity Mirror.”
Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief, Guardian News & Media, said:
“The Berliner is a beautiful format which has served our readers brilliantly for 12 years but we know that it is our award-winning, quality, independent journalism that our readers value most, rather than the shape or size of the newspapers.
“We are going to create a new look tabloid Guardian and Observer that are bold, striking and beautiful - and which still contain the agenda-setting journalism for which we’re renowned.”
The Guardian and The Observer newspapers have been printed in the Berliner format since 2005. With its ground-breaking design, the Guardian became the UK’s first full-colour national newspaper.
There will now be a consultation period with affected print site staff, including the ability to TUPE across to Trinity Mirror.
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For more information please contact:
media.enquiries@theguardian.com or 020 3353 3696
Notes to editors
About GMG
Guardian Media Group (GMG) is amongst the UK’s leading media organisations. Its core business is Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of theguardian.com, one of the largest English-speaking quality newspaper websites in the world.
In the UK, GNM publishes the Guardian newspaper six days a week and the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper, The Observer.
GMG has also built an endowment fund, which includes the proceeds from the 2014 disposal of its 50.1% holding in Trader Media Group. The sole purpose of the fund is to secure the editorial independence and financial security of the Guardian in perpetuity. The business conduct of the Group is guided by The Scott Trust values.
For further information visit www.theguardian.com/gmg