A commuter newspaper is a class of newspapers that are often free daily newspapers and "part of a lifestyle of commuting into work. They represent a 'fast read' for those with busy lifestyles, and tend to be rack-selected take-ones." The first commuter newspapers included Vancouver's The Georgia Straight, the Montreal Mirror, and New York City's The Village Voice.
In keeping with the newspaper's intention to provide brief and direct accounts of the day's news, the paper's writing is more simplistic, intended to give readers the facts and news they desire succinctly. Accordingly, there are fewer sections in Metro than a traditional paper, and each section is much thinner. Instead of relying on subscriptions these papers are usually supported by advertising revenue.
History
Metro International was founded in Sweden in 1995. The idea behind the commuter paper was "news for free, at the right place and the right time. A free daily newspaper distributed in high-traffic commuter zones and public transport networks." In 1997, Metro introduced a Prague edition of the paper two years later, and by 2008 published 58 editions in 19 countries and 15 languages, and was based in Stockholm. Ottawa's RushHour, for instance, was introduced in 2006 and is available at 120 distribution points throughout the Canadian city, at points where commuters board public transit vehicles for the daily trip home. Metro is likewise available within subways stations and bus terminals as well as at secondary distribution points such as grocery stores, coffee shops and business towers, as well as in boxes on the street.
Although the idea of free distribution has been used for decades (such as Vancouver's The Georgia Straight, Montreal Mirror and New York City's The Village Voice) it was started by newsagents in the nineteenth century. “Metro is the new face of old media”, the paper's site accordingly claims a reader to have tweeted. While the commuter paper clearly does revert to some old-fashioned practices, it also incorporates the very modern devices of cell phones and iPads with apps tailored to each medium.
Metro's first Canadian offshoot was launched in Toronto, Canada in 2000 and since the brand has opened branches in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax, London and Winnipeg, Canada.
Audience
Commuter Newspapers and “Take-Ones” appeal to a more youthful population than mainstream newspapers. They are intended to be skimmed, not to be thoroughly absorbed and appreciated as a work of journalism. These papers are arguably less about the artistic or journalistic quality of the paper and rely on facts. They have fewer frills and fewer opinions than the traditional newspaper.
39% of Metro's print audience is between the ages of 18 and 34, 80% of its readers are either employed or students and 76% live in the city. Metro is, as most newspaper and magazine publications now are, available interactively, online and through wireless devices. Of Metro's interactive users, 49% are between the ages of 18 and 34, 79% are employed or students and 59% live in and around the city of Toronto. In keeping with this audience, presumably to appeal to youthful readers, Metro had pop mega-star Lady Gaga as guest editor on May 17, 2011, the week Gaga's album Born This Way was released. This special edition of the paper seemed to function as a way for Metro to increase its readership among its young, pop-culture-conscious readers while simultaneously providing a fruitful promotion opportunity for Lady Gaga. In Canada alone, Metro reaches approximately 1.4 million readers through its print editions on a daily basis. and claims to have 741, 365 unique visitors to its website monthly, as well as upwards of 2.3 million page views.
For some theorists, the rise of the commuter paper was a democratizing force, bringing news to a larger, and more broad audience.
Metro
Metro is the leading free national daily newspaper brand in Canada, and the first national daily to be published in both official languages. Metro'''s target audience is what it calls YAMs (youthful, active, metropolitans). To reach this audience the paper employs traditional newsprint, as well as online and mobile formats and finally through apps for BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android phones, and most recently the tablet. Metro brings relevant daily updates and unique global inspiration at the right time and in the right format to enhance the YAMs' quality of life. Metro has a unique global reach - attracting a young, active, well-educated, metropolitan audience of over 24.8 million daily readers and more than 37 million weekly readers.