RedEye

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RedEye

The July 27, 2005 front page
of RedEye
Type Daily newspaper
Format Tabloid

Owner Tribune Company
Publisher Brad Moore
Editor Jane Hirt
Founded 2002
Headquarters Chicago, IL, U.S.

Website: redeyechicago.com


The RedEye is a daily publication put out by the Chicago Tribune geared toward 18 to 34-year-olds. RedEye, not to be confused with Red Eye, or Red-Eye, or other popular international websites and business, attempted it's branding to be "hip," making up words with TypOSpelling (IPod, IPhone, eCommerce, iMature), was created due to the loss of readership among young people of the Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers. Tribune Company began publishing the RedEye in an effort to pull readers back into readership and eventually migrate them into the big edition (Tribune).[1]

When RedEye appeared, it was in direct competition with another paper Red Streak, which the Tribune's Chicago competitor the Sun Times began publishing at the same time. Initially, both papers were handed out for free by "hawkers" on street corners, usually with one vendor from each paper directly next to each other.[1] After about 6 months of the free papers, both companies placed vending boxes throughout the city with the papers thereafter costing 25 cents.

At the end of 2005, the Sun Times discontinued Red Streak. According to Sun Times published John Cruickshank, Red Streak was only launched "to stop [the <i>Tribune</i>] from gaining a foothold in the paid tabliod market...". Its only purpose was to undermine RedEye's attempt at drawing commuters, customers which have historically belonged to the Sun Times.[1]

At the beginning of 2006, RedEye became a free paper once again, with vending boxes being unlocked and coin slots covered over.

In February 2007, after NewsCorp launched a late-night talk television program on Fox News entitled Red Eye, the Tribune Company filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit.[2]

Recently, Chicago native and rapper Twista has signed on to do a column for RedEye called "Twista's Turn", where he shares his thoughts and answers readers' questions.[3]

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As compared with mainstream newspapers, the RedEye strongly emphasizes pop culture and entertainment news; humorous or lighthearted rather than serious columns, and flashy graphics and large pictures. Like the Chicago Sun-Times, the RedEye is a tabloid-format newspaper, oriented vertically rather than horizontally and with a front page consisting only of a large picture and a banner headline.

The RedEye is published five times a week. While some of its content is pulled from the Associated Press and other newspapers in the Tribune's network, much of it is now being produced in house by staff reporters and editors. In the Chicago area, it is particularly known for its frequent criticism of the Chicago Transit Authority's services.

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