News of the World editor Colin Myler doesn't believe in bribing casual readers with free CDs and DVDs. The purchase decision should rest entirely on the quality of the editorial product and that's where he would rather spend his newspaper's budget.
An affirmation of his altruistic intent is the "tens of millions of pounds" investment in new women's supplement Fabulous that debuted on 3 February, replacing the jaded Sunday magazine. The aim is to make the package more female-friendly, and Myler honestly believes that it will add new readers.
On returning to the UK a year ago, having spent five years editing the New York Post, Myler, 58, a tabloid newspaper veteran, was struck by two print developments: the peculiarly British practice of using newspapers as distribution wrappers for recycled compilations from the musical stars of yesteryear, and the success and sophistication of new weekly magazines - Emap's Closer and Grazia were two that impressed him.
"These took the weeklies to another level and Sunday hadn't kept pace and wasn't complementing the newspaper. Our readers buy these weeklies and expect the same standard - it doesn't matter whether they are free or paid-for," says Myler.
Creative mission
So, he approached his former colleague, Jane Johnson, then editor of Closer, for advice, which resulted in her joining the News of the World as his deputy, with a mission to create Fabulous.
They believe that Fabulous will help correct some common misconceptions about the "trashy" NotW and its readership. NRS figures show that of the total 8.2 million readers, 47% are female, 38% are ABC1 and 36% are aged 15 to 34.
Convincing advertisers of the opportunity to target large numbers of young, upmarket women is crucial to the strategy with Fabulous.
Mail order ads for porcelain figurines and Diana memorabilia - aesthetically unattractive but lucrative - have been jettisoned from the new format in the hope that this will stimulate big fashion and beauty brands to come in. M&S and Boots No.7 were notable coups in the first issue, but they will need to be joined regularly by more brands, if budgetary pressure is not to force the return of Wedgwood pottery.
Myler and Johnson are undaunted by the advertising challenge. "This has never been done on this scale before - an editorial product of this quality with an audience of four million women - and that's a very tempting proposition for media buyers, I would argue," says Myler.
As with Johnson's Closer, celebrity is key to making Fabulous a must-read for women. The first two issues have seen columns from Russell Brand with his unique take on "lurve" and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson on dating. Toxic Bachelor is an FHM bloke's view on sex and dating, while another article featured romantic Valentine's breaks to trendy hotels. All this suggests an appeal to young, metropolitan singletons, but is it really reflective of NotW readers?
Maybe not, but it's all about escapism, according to Johnson. "When I edited Closer, a lot of our readers were young mums, but the last thing they wanted to read was stories about kids.
"They wanted a read in the bath with a glass of chardonnay, that allowed them to escape from feeding their kids and from schools. They wanted celebrity and aspirational fashion and not to be patronised."
Yet, countering this escapism is another element common to both Closer and Fabulous - "real life". A Fabulous feature headlined, "I lost 18st and my husband when he ran off with my mum", may sour the chardonnay and scented bath experience, you might think, but this is still comparatively upbeat, according to Myler.
Aspirational content
"Some real life stuff you see might make you want to slash your wrists, but ours is very readable." Johnson asserts that it is "more aspirational" than the classic real-life weekly.
When Rebekah Wade became editor of sister paper The Sun, she promised to increase sales and failed. Now, Myler may be in similar danger of being hoist by his own petard when he predicts sales growth for the NotW. "I wouldn't have asked for all this investment in Fabulous if I didn't believe it would bring in extra circulation - the first issue added 90,000."
Growth may occur from women adding the NotW to the household Sunday paper choice, he hopes.
He says the appointment of the 38-year-old Johnson as his deputy is vital in upping the appeal to women across the paper and in ensuring that its "sex, scandal, sport and celebrity" thrust is not demeaning or patronising to women.
But good, old-fashioned journalism is what will sell more papers to both sexes, he adds. Myler doesn't believe in an inevitable drift in newspaper sales.
When journalism has taken a back seat to CD promotions in recent years, such conviction is refreshing. You have to wish these two chipper Merseysiders well in their mission
CVs
COLIN MYLER
2007: Editor, News of the World
2001: Executive editor, New York Post
1999: Editor, Sunday Mirror
1996: Chief executive, Super League Europe, marketing company for rugby league
1994: Editor, then managing director, Daily Mirror
1992: Editor, Sunday Mirror
1990: Deputy editor, Sunday Mirror
1975-90: Various positions on The Sun, Daily Mail, Sunday People and Today
JANE JOHNSON
2006: Deputy editor, News of the World, and editorial director, Fabulous
2002: Launch editor, Closer
2000: Executive editor, Sunday Mirror
1998: Assistant editor, Daily Record
1997: Assistant editor, The Scotsman
1995: Features writer, then women's editor, Daily Mirror
1994: Commissioning editor, Bella
1992: Features writer, Chat
1990: Reporter, Southport Star
An affirmation of his altruistic intent is the "tens of millions of pounds" investment in new women's supplement Fabulous that debuted on 3 February, replacing the jaded Sunday magazine. The aim is to make the package more female-friendly, and Myler honestly believes that it will add new readers.
On returning to the UK a year ago, having spent five years editing the New York Post, Myler, 58, a tabloid newspaper veteran, was struck by two print developments: the peculiarly British practice of using newspapers as distribution wrappers for recycled compilations from the musical stars of yesteryear, and the success and sophistication of new weekly magazines - Emap's Closer and Grazia were two that impressed him.
"These took the weeklies to another level and Sunday hadn't kept pace and wasn't complementing the newspaper. Our readers buy these weeklies and expect the same standard - it doesn't matter whether they are free or paid-for," says Myler.
Creative mission
So, he approached his former colleague, Jane Johnson, then editor of Closer, for advice, which resulted in her joining the News of the World as his deputy, with a mission to create Fabulous.
They believe that Fabulous will help correct some common misconceptions about the "trashy" NotW and its readership. NRS figures show that of the total 8.2 million readers, 47% are female, 38% are ABC1 and 36% are aged 15 to 34.
Convincing advertisers of the opportunity to target large numbers of young, upmarket women is crucial to the strategy with Fabulous.
Mail order ads for porcelain figurines and Diana memorabilia - aesthetically unattractive but lucrative - have been jettisoned from the new format in the hope that this will stimulate big fashion and beauty brands to come in. M&S and Boots No.7 were notable coups in the first issue, but they will need to be joined regularly by more brands, if budgetary pressure is not to force the return of Wedgwood pottery.
Myler and Johnson are undaunted by the advertising challenge. "This has never been done on this scale before - an editorial product of this quality with an audience of four million women - and that's a very tempting proposition for media buyers, I would argue," says Myler.
As with Johnson's Closer, celebrity is key to making Fabulous a must-read for women. The first two issues have seen columns from Russell Brand with his unique take on "lurve" and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson on dating. Toxic Bachelor is an FHM bloke's view on sex and dating, while another article featured romantic Valentine's breaks to trendy hotels. All this suggests an appeal to young, metropolitan singletons, but is it really reflective of NotW readers?
Maybe not, but it's all about escapism, according to Johnson. "When I edited Closer, a lot of our readers were young mums, but the last thing they wanted to read was stories about kids.
"They wanted a read in the bath with a glass of chardonnay, that allowed them to escape from feeding their kids and from schools. They wanted celebrity and aspirational fashion and not to be patronised."
Yet, countering this escapism is another element common to both Closer and Fabulous - "real life". A Fabulous feature headlined, "I lost 18st and my husband when he ran off with my mum", may sour the chardonnay and scented bath experience, you might think, but this is still comparatively upbeat, according to Myler.
Aspirational content
"Some real life stuff you see might make you want to slash your wrists, but ours is very readable." Johnson asserts that it is "more aspirational" than the classic real-life weekly.
When Rebekah Wade became editor of sister paper The Sun, she promised to increase sales and failed. Now, Myler may be in similar danger of being hoist by his own petard when he predicts sales growth for the NotW. "I wouldn't have asked for all this investment in Fabulous if I didn't believe it would bring in extra circulation - the first issue added 90,000."
Growth may occur from women adding the NotW to the household Sunday paper choice, he hopes.
He says the appointment of the 38-year-old Johnson as his deputy is vital in upping the appeal to women across the paper and in ensuring that its "sex, scandal, sport and celebrity" thrust is not demeaning or patronising to women.
But good, old-fashioned journalism is what will sell more papers to both sexes, he adds. Myler doesn't believe in an inevitable drift in newspaper sales.
When journalism has taken a back seat to CD promotions in recent years, such conviction is refreshing. You have to wish these two chipper Merseysiders well in their mission
CVs
COLIN MYLER
2007: Editor, News of the World
2001: Executive editor, New York Post
1999: Editor, Sunday Mirror
1996: Chief executive, Super League Europe, marketing company for rugby league
1994: Editor, then managing director, Daily Mirror
1992: Editor, Sunday Mirror
1990: Deputy editor, Sunday Mirror
1975-90: Various positions on The Sun, Daily Mail, Sunday People and Today
JANE JOHNSON
2006: Deputy editor, News of the World, and editorial director, Fabulous
2002: Launch editor, Closer
2000: Executive editor, Sunday Mirror
1998: Assistant editor, Daily Record
1997: Assistant editor, The Scotsman
1995: Features writer, then women's editor, Daily Mirror
1994: Commissioning editor, Bella
1992: Features writer, Chat
1990: Reporter, Southport Star