Management at the Belfast Telegraph are finalising plans for an early morning edition to compete in the morning newspaper sector.
The edition will be in a compact form, similar to other titles in the Independent News & Media stable. The evening editions of the Belfast Telegraph will continue to appear as a broadsheet with copies hitting the streets at around 11 a.m. as normal.
The decision to proceed is dependent on the installation of a new press capable of printing colour on all pages in the new format. Sources at the paper confirmed yesterday that the morning edition would also be called the Belfast Telegraph and would include all the regular services, advertising and columnists.
Additional staff will be required but Mr Ed Curran, editor of the paper, will have authority over all editions, as the new launch will not be considered a new title.
"The company has made no firm announcement," he told The Irish Times. "But it's no secret that the company is considering a range of options, including the possibility of an early compact edition." No launch date has been confirmed but the new press is not expected to be installed until the first half of 2005.
Mr Curran said discussions with the NUJ have been ongoing, "but there are a lot of Ts to cross and Is to dot". The paper has been faced with falling sales, which now stand at below 100,000.
Mr Curran admitted that management wants the newspaper to be available "as early as possible", a development which could mean the introduction of a late night production for overnight printing. He recognised this would be a significant development for the company.
Management is also considering a proposal to produce a magazine to accompany Saturday editions. A new early edition would compete with the two Belfast titles the Irish News and the News Letter.
