Reeling from the recent loss of exclusive distribution rights in Montreal’s metro system, free daily 24 Heures announced today it will undergo a radical transformation, and as of Monday will be distributed as an anarchist zine.
The zine format, which will see the newspaper photocopied on 8.5×11″ letter-sized sheets folded in half, will give it a more edgy look, its publisher explains. The entire paper will be in black and white only, and editors will abandon the sleek digital layout tools they have been using for 15 years and instead lay articles out by hand.
“We hope these changes, combined with a new editorial focus, will help us better reach the youth market,” a note to readers explained. In an interview, the publisher (who did not want his name published) said the idea was to “be more like Vice News and other things the youth like.”
24 Heures will continue to be distributed by people on the street, particularly outside metro stations, but those distributors will change their looks. Gone will be the orange vests, replaced with black ones that have anti-government and anti-corporate stickers and pins all over them.
Distributor Marc Quenneville says he looks forward to adopting the new fight-the-man attitude. “Finally there will be a newspaper that stands up for the working man,” he said.
Monday’s first issue of the new 24 Heures will be sponsored by Subway.
The man distributing the paper at the Guy Metro will fit in well with the new image. He is quite energetic when he gives out the paper.
Hello,
Most of the times, I like your postings.
It is nice to have the opinion of an anglophone well integrated in the Quebec culture.
Your postings are relevant and well documented.
However, each year, on April 1rst you start posting “supposedly funny” April fool’s “non news”.
Posting one could be funny, posting 10 is anyoing.
Result: I unsuscribed to your blog…
Sad..
Bruno.
Have a sense of humour.
I agree with Bruno that many of the April Fool’s Day postings are barely humorous … they certainly do not cause readers to laugh until the tears run down their cheeks.
OTOH, to unsubscribe because of the unfunny April Fool’s Day postings … that is a little excessive, it seems to me.
It’s Steve’s blog, and April Fools is perhaps the one time a year he actually has some fun. Don’t take that away from him!
That said, I do think that the posts should expire off the front page within a couple of days. Coming back 5 days into the month and finding the entire site full of half funny gags doesn’t exactly seem right. April fools is over already!
Au contraire for me April 1st on Fagstein is one of my favorite reads on this day. I find it rather stupid to expect to read some false prank story in an otherwise serious paper or website. But with Fagstein you can let your imagination run wild and he does such a good job every year that you can t help but recognize that there is a lot of thoughts given in those non news.
Not that Fagstein is not usually serious but rather that we can expect that day and those stories…oups ! did i spoil your fun ?
At least Fagstein reserves his non news for one day of the year which is more than you can say for most papers that publish so many non news, non event article with little to non real content in them. I often wonder how naïve people can be to give any credit to the usual empty stuff printed sometimes…
And no. I am not Fagstein brother in law….He deserves the credit by himself !
You are having way too much fun with April Fool’s … you are totally making my Friday!
Yes, he probably is thinking these up all year, though probably the most topical get published on April 1st.
That may explain why there are so many, he can’t choose a few.
Michael
I agree with Bruno.
There is such a thing as having too much fun.
Shame in you.
You make the miserable people feel bad.
Obviously an Anglo plot. You have shown your true colours!
I enjoyed the April Fool’s Day joke stories this year. Keep it up and don’t listen to those people who have no sense of humour.
I was a week late on my feed. I just caught up and you totally got me here! For a minute, I was like “Hmmm, that’s a cool idea. But how come I didn’t notice this format last week-end?” I thought it might only be starting next Monday. And then I realized it must be one of your famous April 1st jokes. Thanks for the great laugh! :-)