NRC Next

nrc•next is a Dutch daily newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. The first edition was released on March 14, 2006. nrc•next is a morning edition tabloid, and its primary target group are young higher educated people.

History

The newspaper was launched on March 14, 2006.

In April 2006 it became known that daily circulation had increased from an initial 70,000 to 125,000, mainly because of the 45,000 subscriptions. The publisher, however, warned that these figures could not be interpreted as predicting the eventual success of the paper.

In May 2006 it was announced that the paid-for daily circulation has increased to 90,000. nrc•next indicates that it has 25,000 regular subscriptions and 12,000 trial subscriptions. Additionally 30,000 copies where sold in around 6500 locations and 10,000 in controlled circulation. The target daily circulation of 80,000 at the end of December 2008 remained in place. Circulation in 209 stood at 75,000, putting it in 10th position among the Dutch national dailies.

A comparable initiative was launched in Flanders, Belgium: De Standaard Espresso: a lighter version of the newspaper of record De Standaard. After disappointing sales it was withdrawn from circulation after just 7 months.

Formula

The newspaper aims at young, well-educated (HBO or University) readers in the 25-34 age group, most of whom currently do not read a newspaper, or only the free tabloids Metro and Spits. Secondarily, nrc•next aims at the 20-39 age group.

nrc•next cooperates closely with the evening newspaper NRC Handelsblad, but has its own independent editors. About 60% of the content of nrc•next is taken from the NRC, the paper using a team of thirty people to reformulate its contents to a format more suitable for a younger audience. Furthermore the nrc•next is supplemented with graphics, columns, comics and puzzles.

The newspaper is intended for "the new generation of interested media-users who use news and information in a different way", according to NRC executive editor Folkert Jensma. The news is delivered in concise format, because it is assumed that the readers have already picked up the basics from other sources. For the same reason, some news items are not covered at all. Background, analysis and opinion are thus the main focus of the paper.

The paper is only published on Monday to Friday. It is marketed as a competitor for freesheets or, as the publishers claimed at the launch, it is "a newspaper for people who don't read paid newspapers." It costs one euro and ten cents, less than other paid newspapers. Regular readers can take a weekday subscription, or they can opt for a subscription for of nrc•next on weekdays and the NRC Handelsblad on Saturday.

References

External links

• nrc.next (Dutch) – official website
• Weblog Next (Dutch)