Chicago Tribune Expands Opinion & Commentary
Reflects Continued Focus on Delivering Premium Content Across All Platforms
CHICAGO, April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago Tribune, the region's #1 source of news and information, today announced it is significantly expanding its opinion and commentary offerings online, on mobile and in print.
The move to expand opinion pieces across all Chicago Tribune platforms reflects the growing interest among readers to engage in a robust dialogue about the issues important to the region, said Gerould Kern, editor of Chicago Tribune.
"Chicago Tribune is a destination for people to learn about the events that shape their communities and, at the same time, serves as a platform for our audience to share ideas that help move the community forward," Kern said. "Our audience can see this commitment at work in 'The New Plan of Chicago' opinion campaign that is providing--with the participation of citizens--a new vision for the future of the Chicago region. Our expanded commentary offering across all platforms supports this civic dialogue."
Beginning Monday, additional opinion content - including editorials, columns, videos and reader letters - will be featured on chicagotribune.com/opinion and on Chicago Tribune's award-winning mobile apps. The weekday editions of Chicago Tribune each will carry a full new page of opinion and commentary pieces, bringing to four the number of "Perspective" pages offered every Monday-Friday, with five on Sunday.
Commentary consistently ranks among the most-read features in print and online, and the new offerings come on the heels of other product enhancements. Earlier this year, the publication expanded its popular content vertical, Blue Sky Innovation, with the launch of BlueSkyVault, an exclusive and exhaustive collection of Chicago innovation and business content and the regional leaders driving change.
"We know that our opinion and commentary offerings are among the most-read pieces of content on all of our platforms and that they help drive readership, engagement and digital subscriptions," said Tony Hunter, Publisher of Chicago Tribune and CEO of Chicago Tribune Media Group. "Our expansion in this arena reflects our commitment to mission-driven journalism, through our continuing investment in premium content - whether through groundbreaking investigations, compelling vertical offerings or rich opinions - that deepens our connection to the audiences we serve and grows our reach across platforms."
The expansion is being directed by Editorial Page Editor Bruce Dold, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and assisted by Deputy Editorial Page Editor John McCormick and Commentary Editor Marcia Lythcott.
Major institutions continue to recognize Chicago Tribune for its unparalleled commitment to premium content:
- The Nieman Foundation in March honored Chicago Tribune with its prestigious Taylor Family Award for Fairness in Journalism following the paper's groundbreaking investigation, "Red Light Cameras," which exposed corruption, deception, mismanagement and fundamental unfairness in Chicago's automated traffic enforcement program.
- The University of Wisconsin and the University of Oregon in early April also separately acknowledged the paper's investigative series, "Harsh Treatment," which exposed the mistreatment of disadvantaged children in Illinois' residential treatment centers.
- And this week "Harsh Treatment" earned a coveted Headliners Award for public service.
"Today, the Chicago Tribune newsroom is publishing more news in print and digital media than in 2007, before the Great Recession, and across more platforms than ever before," Kern said. "It's gratifying to see the response from readers and our colleagues in the industry."
About Chicago Tribune Media Group
Chicago Tribune Media Group is a diversified media and marketing solutions company that reaches 4.9 million people each month across all platforms. CTMG's robust portfolio of media solutions includes the Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Tribune, and a collection of niche and digital offerings including RedEye, Hoy, Chicago magazine, Naperville Magazine, The Mash, Blue Sky Innovation, chicagotribune.com, chicagonow.com and metromix.com. As the region's leading voice, CTMG also extends into the suburbs of Chicago through popular titles including TribLocal, The Beacon-News, The Courier-News, Lake County News-Sun, Naperville Sun, Post-Tribune in Northwest Indiana, Daily Southtown, and 32 Pioneer Press weekly newspapers.
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SOURCE Chicago Tribune
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