The Guardian Launches Personalized Newspaper: G24

The Guardian Unlimited is set to launch a personalized newspaper this summer, G24. The eight to 12 page edition will contain news selections across five topic areas, and is targeted at commuters and workers wanting the latest news on their way home from the office.

A sample one-page PDF file is available for preview.

Web to Print Strategy with Twist
In a twist on the popular web-to-print offerings used in the world of digital printing (i.e. Print to FedEx Kinko's), readers assemble elements of the A4 sized paper online but print them at their own printer. Most W2P solutions allow the customer to upload the document over the Internet for remote printing and pickup, or delivery to a specified location via postal mail, courier or overnight delivery.

Digital printing chains like Kinkos and other shops have mastered this for many years although none have offered a personalized newspaper solution. Personalized calendars, yes. Newspapers, no.

First Phase of an Expanded Digital Printing Plan?
It's not clear whether The Guardian plans to introduce a digitally printed edition that readers can customized and have delivered like the regular edition printed on offset presses. Interestingly, Guradian Newspapers Group is one several international newspapers that are printed on digital presses using OCE's Digital Newspaper Network. I expect other publishers, especially those in the OCE network, will likely watch Guardian's experiment and copy it quickly once the website launches and the service is up and running.

If Guardian rolls out an expanded strategy using the OCE DNN, it's conceivable readers could use the G24 website to have truly customized versions of a tabloid sized newspaper, printed on newsprint, along with personalized ads relevant to their purchasing desires.

This bodes well for readers and the newspaper industry in general. Guradian has figured out a simple way to empower readers to personalize and print the news they want when they want it on their own terms. Saving Guardian the costs of paper, ink and delivery.