Newspaper & Mailroom
SouthtownStar Relaunched Today in New, Easy-to-Read Format
Tuesday 18. August 2009 - SouthtownStar Announces Debut of New Weekend Edition And Enhanced Online News Coverage
Sun-Times Media Group, Inc. (Pink Sheets:SUTMQ) announced today the successful redesign and new format for its award-winning SouthtownStar newspaper, the most comprehensive news source for Chicagos Southland. With a history of more than 100 years of service to the Southland community, the SouthtownStar will offer even more Southland news, sports and features, along with more names and faces of readers friends and neighbors.
Today, SouthtownStar readers got their first look at the improved newspaper, which is now published in a convenient, easier-to-read tabloid format with the same in-depth reporting and local features readers expect and demand. The newspaper will now publish Sunday through Friday, and will debut its exciting new Weekend Edition on Friday, August 21, 2009, which will combine the news and features previously found in Friday and Saturday publications into one super Weekend Edition.
The Weekend Edition will have popular columnists Phil Kadner and Donna Vickroy, Southland news, sports and entertainment and movie features found previously in Friday and Saturday publications. Sunday editions will continue to feature our popular eight different Neighborhood Star sections offering in-depth coverage of Southland communities.
“We are excited to provide our readers and advertisers a new SouthtownStar that captures the heartbeat of the Southland,” said Fred Lebolt, SouthtownStar President and Publisher. “The new look and the launch of our new Weekend Edition will provide readers with the information they need, and our advertisers with exciting opportunities.”
The SouthtownStar Web site has been designed to place a greater emphasis on local news. Headlines are easy to find and hyper-local community news is available on the NeighborhoodStar page of the Web site. Readers can also sign up for headline alerts via e-mail and text message to take advantage of the staffs thorough coverage of breaking news and events. Readers can follow the SouthtownStar on Twitter at twitter.com/southtownstar; comment on our community blogs at blogs.southtownstar.com; and to get breaking news updates by text message, text SOUTHTOWN to 20101. Readers also can manage their SouthtownStar subscription online by clicking on customer service.
“The new SouthtownStar will continue the newspapers strong tradition of in-depth reporting that our readers have come to expect from us,” said Michelle Holmes, editor of the SouthtownStar. “The SouthtownStar and southtownstar.com will continue to carry more local stories and breaking news as it affects the communities of the Southland. We are excited to introduce the improved newspaper and online news to our readers, and look forward to their feedback.”
“Advertisers will quickly see great benefits to the SouthtownStars new look and feel,” said Jerry Alger, Sun-Times News Groups Vice President Advertising, South/Southwest Region. “Our advertisers will have many exciting choices, from increased advertising possibilities to premium placement opportunities made possible by the new tabloid design. SouthtownStar Director of Advertising John Doolin and I look forward to helping our advertisers reach the readers they desire while getting the most for their advertising dollars. We invited them to contact either of us or their local ad rep any time to discuss how we can help them reach their advertising goals.”
In addition to the exciting changes, the SouthtownStar will launch a new contest called “South Siders Stand Up.” Readers can participate by submitting reasons why they love living in the Southland. Winners will be chosen based on creativity and originality and by following the theme of the essay contest. Participants have a chance to win up to $1,000 in gift certificates from local Southland retailers. The contest will start on August 17, 2009 and run for four weeks.