The Gallup Sun is welcoming 2024 in with a new format: broadsheet. What this means is that the paper is now slightly bigger, allowing the staff to include more of the stories and photos that are important to the community.
“I decided to go broadsheet because of the size constrictions. Our size just kept getting smaller and smaller, and I’ve always loved broadsheet newspapers,” Sun Publisher Babette Herrmann explained. “I also love tabloids, but to me the size is just too small and if we’re going to stay competitive in a multi-newspaper market, I felt like [going to broadsheet] was the best move for us.”
The differences between a tabloid format and a broadsheet format mostly have to do with size. A tabloid can be opened and flipped through, while a broadsheet format requires the reader to unfold the paper, and then open it to read it.
Herrmann went into more detail on why the Sun made the change, and what readers can expect in the coming months.
“It’s a lot bigger, there will be more room for our photos and stories. Also, staff and I wanted to include games and puzzles and comics and that sort of thing, along with some syndicated columns to the paper that we just didn’t have the room for before,” she said. “We also didn’t have much room for community announcements such as births, deaths, and weddings, and these are things we’re going to be rolling out over time.”
More changes are planned for the Sun in 2024 than just the broadsheet. In order to continue providing a quality product to readers, the paper will soon be available at local retailers. Some locations will carry it for free, while others will charge readers a fee.
Herrmann explained the decision to step away from the free format.
“We want to continue providing a quality product to the public each week, so newspaper sales will help us offset the cost of printing,” she said.
Retailers who want to sell the paper will need to enter a barcode into their system to do so. The Sun’s drivers will not collect any cash in person.
Changes are coming on the digital side of things as well. Beginning in February, the Sun will roll out a brand-new website and digital newsletter. The current website already has a lot of traffic, so Herrmann sees this as a great opportunity for advertisers.
Overall, Herrmann sees the change as a huge benefit for the Sun’s future.
“I think the space alone is the biggest benefit. There’s more room for our advertisers, for our content, for our wonderful photos, and just a lot more creative space,” she said. “We want to be a part of the traditional broadsheet club, and we want to be taken seriously as a legitimate weekly newspaper in Gallup and beyond.”
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