The Times to relaunch Saturday edition

The Times is to relaunch its Saturday edition next month, with a revamp of its supplements and the return of the broadsheet format for a new section, according to senior sources on the paper.

Eleanor Mills, the new Saturday Times editor, is putting the finishing touches to a revamp expected to see the scrapping of three of the Saturday supplements - Body & Soul, The Knowledge and Travel. It is understood that the current Money pullout on Saturday will be incorporated into the business section of the main body of the paper, which will remain in a tabloid format.

It is believed the paper will launch three new supplements, including an arts and entertainment broadsheet pullout. This will see the Times return to the broadsheet format for the first time since 2004.

Other changes to the Saturday edition are expected to include a tabloid-sized lifestyle section incorporating television listings and elements of the current Knowledge and Body & Soul pullouts. It is thought that travel coverage will also be incorporated into another section of the paper.

There will also be a new tabloid sports section. The Saturday Times's sports coverage currently appears in the back pages of the main paper.

It is not yet known if Mills will bring in new writers, although she is thought to be making approaches to journalists outside the Times.

The first edition of the new look Saturday Times is scheduled to hit the newsstands at the end of January, according to sources on the paper. Mills is understood to have been working on the relaunch since she was brought in to edit the Saturday Times from her post as editor of News International stablemate the Sunday Times's News Review section in August.

Any changes to the Saturday Times are expected to contribute to cost savings for publisher News International. Journalists at the Times are also said to be expecting a new round of cost-cutting, following a review of News International's editorial operations by the Boston Consulting Group to find efficiency savings.

Last month Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of News International parent company News Corporation, warned that there would be new economy drives at the company's UK and Australian newspaper subsidiaries.

It is understood that one suggestion from BCG being considered by Times executives is the incorporation of the home, foreign and online news operations into one "super news desk".

However, Times staff have also been emailed about four vacancies, for banking, retail, media, and property and construction correspondents.

A Times spokeswoman was unable to comment at the time of publication on the changes to the Saturday Times or the outcome of the BCG review.

The spokeswoman confirmed that Times football writer Oliver Kay had been promoted to become football correspondent.

This follows the departure of chief football correspondent Martin Samuel, who joined the Daily Mail in September. Kay will concentrate on reporting and new recruit Patrick Barclay will concentrate on comment pieces.

Barclay is joining the News International title as chief football commentator after working for the Sunday Telegraph for more than 12 years.

Ben Dowell
The Guardian
22nd December