SF Chronicle Goes Glossy To Attract Readers, Ads

MICHAEL LIEDTKE

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — With its circulation falling faster than any other major U.S. newspaper's, the San Francisco Chronicle is determined to set the pace in a flashier way: It's about to become the first general-interest daily to print its editions on high-quality glossy paper.

The new look, scheduled to debut in Monday's newspaper, is part of the Chronicle's effort to create a more visually appealing newspaper as more readers turn to the Internet for free information and entertainment.

Besides making the Chronicle more pleasing to read, the magazine-style glossy paper could help the newspaper attract more advertisers looking to make their products shine.

The Chronicle, the largest newspaper in technology-driven northern California, has been hard hit by the migration to the Internet. Its weekday circulation plunged nearly 26 percent from a year ago to an average of 251,782 during the April-September period, more than any other big-city newspaper in the United States.

The decline extended a pattern that has been unfolding throughout the decade. In 2001, the Chronicle's weekday circulation stood at 527,000.