Since it was founded in 1986, The Independent has been one of the nation’s leading broadsheet newspapers, and recently it has undergone a number of stylistic changes. In 2003, The Independent moved from a traditional broadsheet layout to a compact design. In 2010, the newspaper went one step further and began printing the ‘i’, a further compacted and condensed issue of the newspaper, alongside the original publication. The ‘i’ carries most of the same content as its sister paper, however it differs greatly in price, style and layout.
According to NMA figures, between August and October 2011, average daily circulation of the ‘i’ was greater than that of The Independent, listing the circulation of ‘i’ at 184,402 , compared to 176,983 for The Independent. This difference in circulation is not particularly substantial, however it suggests that, considering the shared content of the two papers, the ‘i’ carries some greater appeal than that of the paper that created it. There are a number of potential reasons for the comparative popularity of ‘i’.
The higher sales of ‘i’ could indicate a greater demand for condensed news and a more tabloid-style layout, though retaining the ‘neutral’, intelligent reporting that The Independent is famed for. The layout is particularly notable for the abundance of pictures and distinct lack of words on the front page when compared to The Independent, and “The News Matrix” found across pages 2 and 3, summarising the key stories of the day. The first 3 pages of the condensed format lack any detailed reporting, a contrast to traditional broadsheets. This offers a convenient alternative to a mainstream broadsheet for those with little time to read detailed pieces, and seek an overall view of the news.
The price difference between the two could also be a significant factor, with the ‘i’ costing 20p, compared to £1 for The Independent itself. In times of economic difficulty, perhaps consumers are being more careful with their money, even when it comes to purchasing newspapers, and at 20p, ‘i’ offers a more high brow alternative to similarly priced red top tabloids, such as the Sun. This could also indicate a difference in income between readerships. NMA states that 81% of The Independent’s readers fall into the ABC1 income category, proving it to be a paper for higher earners. There are no such figures available for the ‘i’ at this time, so any difference in the average earnings of the readerships cannot be evaluated.
Age may be another factor; however with statistics again unavailable for the ‘i’, there is no evidence. Certainly, the appearance of the ‘i’ can be seen as designed to appeal to a younger market, with a layout that more closely resembles a website or app for smart phones than a typical newspaper. According to NMA figures however, The Independent itself has a fairly young readership, with 38% of its readers between 15 and 34.
With greatly overlapping content, the main differences between the two publications are layout and price, and so it appears likely that any difference in readership is dictated by these two factors. With statistics relating to the ‘i’ unavailable however, it remains unclear what difference in readership exists and why.
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