HONG KONG--(Marketwire - May 12, 2011) - The South China Morning Post announced a major re-launch of both the design and content of the region's pre-eminent English language newspaper.
Premiering on Monday, May 16th, the new SCMP will feature a fresher, more vibrant design, enhanced news content throughout and five new tabloid supplements to provide extra-value daily reading.
The news content in each of the Main, City and Business sections has been upgraded with more columns and features an improved quick-access navigation. Each key section will feature a rapid read news digest bar and convenient colour highlights to draw readers quickly to important facts. The current national and international section is replaced with more prominent China, Asia and World sections which feature additional, enhanced content including a Talking Points editorial overview of the key news issues of the day, and a daily in-depth Focus article, among many other features.
Five new tabloid sections will cover personal interest hot topics, including money and investment, health and wellness, food and wine, lifestyle, fashion and shopping, plus parenting, family and education.
Acting Editor-in-Chief, Mr Cliff Buddle, said, "We're excited to move to the next stage of the South China Morning Post's evolution. Hong Kong is a rapidly changing city and our readers have never been more engaged or vocal with their views. Here, people have many media options, but above all, they want a source they can trust for matters that relate to their location, values and interests. With our new content, we'll be setting relevant and fresh agendas, contributing to public debate on significant issues and giving readers much food for thought."
"Our readers can still enjoy our world-class columns and well-researched OpEd articles. All the content they know and love us for is still there. The key difference is a more friendly and approachable look, and significantly more news they can use," he said.
The redesign, which was developed by world renowned newspaper design guru, Dr Mario Garcia, reflects the reader habits of today's more interactive and fast paced society. Featuring more colour, extensive use of graphics and photojournalism, more eye-catching typography and more intuitive navigation, the new South China Morning Post makes use of the latest design know-how to help readers get to the news they want more efficiently.
"Readers from all walks of life will find something to stimulate their interests in the new SCMP," said Mr Buddle. "Our business news coverage remains the most respected by senior businesspeople in Hong Kong. Our newly expanded China section enables us provide our readers with more nuanced and detailed insights into this fascinating part of the world. And of course, each of the tabloid sections allows much more in-depth focus on areas of interest."
The relaunch of the South China Morning Post is complemented by a newly introduced brand tagline: Make every day matter. Chief Operating Officer, Ms Elsie Cheung remarked: "Our readers are smart, discerning, internationally-minded individuals who lead enormously busy lives. More than ever, they take an active role in the community, and are increasingly vocal on things that happen around them. Every decision they make, and the way they spend their time and money, comes down to the quality of information they get to help form their opinions and choices. Our role, and the role of media today in general, is more inclusive and interactive than ever before. Whether readers access our content in print, online, or on our iPad edition we hope to be a central hub for them to increase their knowledge, as well as debate, share and form those opinions."
Readers can check out the changes at the South China Morning Post on their launch website http://matters.scmp.com/
Photos
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APPENDIX
About the sections:
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST:
MAIN SECTION
We've refreshed our main section to make it more useful, more fascinating and more accessible for our readers. We'll still offer our unique and insightful perspective of the day's main news issues in Hong Kong, China, Asia and the World, but also more. With new, brighter styling and improved navigation, there will be even more interesting stories to read, plus engaging commentary, complemented by more photos and useful information graphics. We'll have a new Talking Points section to get readers quickly briefed on the key issues of the day, plus an in-depth Focus of the Day feature story.
BUSINESS
Voted the top information source for Hong Kong's most senior business decision makers, we will continue to provide excellent coverage of the business news of the day. Additionally there will be a whole host of new features, including a new markets and finance section, DealWatch data, the Insider column on internal share trades, plus more coverage on key sectors, the economy and local, regional and international business trends. Joining our popular host of columns will be a new weekly legal column, Point of Law, to help businesses with practical legal issues.
CITY
Our bright new City section includes the inside story, useful information and interesting opinions on the local news and issues that are vital to Hong Kong residents. From hot topics to cool new discoveries, City section will feature new, easy navigation, daily listings for those planning their social calendars, a new easy-to-use TV listings page, and CitySeen, which will get readers right into Hong Kong's social scene with more daily coverage of the best events in town. Plus, readers stay posted on Saturday with City Weekend, featuring a new Weddings section, City Driving and Technology.
WEEKLY SUPPLEMENTS
MONDAYS FROM 16thMAY --NEW!
Money Post
A no-nonsense look at how readers can make their money work harder. Money Post covers a wide range of financial insights, from specific sectors to stock tips, and from the trends in the economy to personal philanthropy. For advice on mortgages, personal finance and long and short term money making decisions, Money Post will help readers make sense out of making dollars.
TUESDAYS FROM 24thMAY -- NEW!
Health Post
Nurturing mind and body with useful information on health, medicine, diet and exercise, Health Post is the guide to living better in Hong Kong and finding newly discovered insights from overseas. Our expert writers dive deep into a wide range of information designed to help our discerning and health conscious readers lead healthier lives.
WEDNESDAYS
Property Post
A popular Wednesday tradition for the SCMP, our Property Post has become a must-read for expert views on Hong Kong's red hot property market. Property Post is the trusted guide to the most desirable real estate in Hong Kong, plus a weekly window on new global property investment opportunities.
THURSDAYS FROM 19thMAY -- NEW!
Food and Wine
In the city that loves to sip, savour and celebrate the finest in culinary excellence, our Food and Wine guide brings you views from the kitchen to the restaurant table, every Thursday. In addition to our weekly recommended restaurants guide, Susan Jung, Jeannie Cho Lee and a host of highly-seasoned gourmands and wine aficionados will contribute to Thursday's mouth-watering content.
FRIDAYS FROM 3rdJUNE -- NEW!
LifeSTYLE
The guide to looking and feeling completely luxurious. From beauty blogs to boho bags and from gadgets to die for, to destinations to see before you die, LifeStyle gives our readers great ideas for spoiling yourself over the weekend, and both informs and inspires them for those stylish excursions in faraway places.
SUNDAYS
SUNDAY MORNING POST
Family Post -- FROM 5thJUNE -- NEW!
Whether searching for schools, or for advice on feeding, nurturing and educating kids, today's parents are some of the most involved and conscientious. So many questions bombard today's families. Launching Sunday, 5th June, Family Post will answer some of those questions every Sunday, pointing today's busy readers to a more comprehensive view of parenting, education and family issues.
Post magazine
Our award-winning Post Magazine has been given a fresh new look. Continuing on our tradition of the city's most fascinating and critical articles to get spark discussions every Sunday, our new design will make navigation easier, will include a few new features, including a new property page that gives a sneak peek into some of the local homes and neighbourhoods.
The Review
The Review is a comprehensive guide to the don't-miss events and releases in the world of arts, music and culture in Hong Kong and around the world. Along with independent reviews for new DVDs, books, electronic games, cinema movies and music releases, we'll have dedicated arts pages and useful new columns including updates from around the world. Each week we feature the Taste Maker of the moment, and look into new trends to better inform entertainment choices.
About South China Morning Post
First published in 1903, South China Morning Post is Hong Kong's premier English language newspaper and has the city's most affluent and influential readership. With a reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong and China, it won 60 journalistic excellence awards in 2010. The newspaper is supported with a Sunday edition, Sunday Morning Post, an online edition at www.scmp.com, and an iPad™ edition. For more information of South China Morning Post, please visit www.scmp.com.
Contact Information:
For Media Enquiries:
South China Morning Post
email: communications@scmp.com
