'Monitor' tabloid to hit newsstands

'Monitor' tabloid to hit newsstands

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Information has given the green light for the publication of new daily tabloid Monitor, executives of the publication said on Friday.

Chief editor Zaim Uchrowi and managing editor Eko Supriyanto said the tabloid, whose permit was issued on Feb. 2, would start publication on April 5.

Zaim, former vice chief editor of Republika daily, said a copy of the tabloid would sell for Rp 2,250 and by monthly subscription of Rp 45,000.

"For the first stage, we will publish 45,000 exemplars per day," Zaim was quoted by Antara as saying.

He identified the target readership as people who could afford to subscribe to more than one publication.

"This is a conventional newspaper which complement others without necessarily competing with those already in existence."

Without divulging details on the amount of investment, he said the publication would be sound for the next year despite the absence of major investors.

Although it uses a daily format, it will not depend entirely on breaking news or hard news, but also feature in-depth stories, he said.

Eko explained the founding of his tabloid was inspired by the influential U.S. publication The Christian Science Monitor.

He stated Monitor was not connected to publication of the same name which had its publishing licensed revoked by the government several years ago. (hhr)