NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The redesigned Wall Street Journal hit newsstands this morning, and to encourage trial the Journal is free nationwide as part of the largest complimentary newspaper sampling in its history. Today, nearly 500,000 copies are available free at newsstands across the country, and The Wall Street Journal Online, the largest subscription news site on the web, is also free.
"The Wall Street Journal is an icon and our audience trusts us to deliver quality, value and outstanding reporting," said L. Gordon Crovitz, executive vice president of Dow Jones & Company and publisher of The Wall Street Journal. "We want readers and potential readers to sample our high-quality journalism firsthand and experience the increased focus on interpretation, insight and ideas as well as new content features, innovative newspaper navigation, and better print-online alignment. The new design makes it easier for readers to get more information in less time."
A cornerstone of the new Journal will be an increased focus on unique, differentiated content, with 80% of the news content focusing on "what the news means" not just "what happened."
"Readers will instantly recognize that we continue to offer the news, insight and analysis they demand from the Journal, while providing more value-added coverage," said Paul E. Steiger, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. "The redesign allows us to provide more exclusive insight and in-depth analysis -- the quality coverage our readers have come to expect and demand from the Journal, making it like no other newspaper in the country."
Readers will see key changes to The Wall Street Journal beginning today that include:
* New Content Features: New features include the forward-looking "Today's Agenda," alerting readers to the meaning of news they will see later in the day, and "Informed Reader," providing notable insights from sources beyond the Journal. An expanded Letters to the Editor section reflects the deep engagement of the Journal community of readers. The Personal Journal section now has twice as much cultural coverage. * Improved Navigational Aids: The 48-inch web width makes the paper more convenient to hold and carry. A new, easy-to-read typeface, improved labeling, and more prominent headline styles help readers get more information in less time. Innovative summary boxes provide story highlights at a glance, and advanced infographics enhance visual communication. A new feature, "In Brief," provides news summaries for key coverage areas inside the paper. Story lengths have been maintained, with easier-to-find continuations. * Better Print and Online Alignment: The print Journal now publishes tighter packages of yesterday's news with fuller, more detailed stories available at WSJ.com. In the newspaper's Money & Investing section, new value-added financial statistics graphically communicate market information and analysis each day. A selection of financial statistics has been culled from the print Journal and made available for free at the state-of-the-art online Markets Data Center (www.WSJMarkets.com). The Markets Data Center was developed in tandem with the redesign of the print Journal, and offers extensive markets information and easy ways for users to put data into context. Innovative features include quick scanning and charting capability of stocks and indexes; integrated access to market-moving headlines; and email delivery of key market information such as the Journal's closely watched Money Rates. In addition, new blogs are also available free at WSJ.com, including The Wealth Report, which launched today and provides an inside look at the culture of wealth in America.
"The aim is to help readers extract the most information and insight with the greatest efficiency and convenience," said Mr. Crovitz. "Readers will rely on the print and online Journal throughout their day as they make business, investing and personal decisions."
For additional press information about the changes in the Journal, please go to: www.dowjones.com/newjournal.htm.
About The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal, the flagship publication of Dow Jones & Company (NYSE:DJ) (www.dowjones.com), is the world's leading business publication. Founded in 1889, The Wall Street Journal has a print and online circulation of nearly 2.1 million, reaching the nation's top business and political leaders, as well as investors across the country. Holding 31 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism, the Journal provides readers with trusted information and knowledge to make better decisions. The Wall Street Journal print franchise has more than 600 journalists world-wide, part of the Dow Jones network of nearly 1,900 business and financial news staff. Other publications that are part of The Wall Street Journal franchise, with total circulation of 2.7 million, include The Wall Street Journal Asia, The Wall Street Journal Europe and The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com, the largest paid subscription news site on the Web. In 2006, the Journal was ranked No. 1 in BtoB's Media Power 50 for the seventh consecutive year.
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