The first free edition of London’s weekly listings magazine Time Out will come out on 25 September.
Time Out first announced the move on 2 August and confirmed the launch date this morning.
The magazine’s publishers hope the move will broaden the magazine’s reach and “allow the weekly printed title to better complement Time Out’s digital outlets”.
Editor-in-chief Tim Arthur said: “Tuesday 25th September will herald a new era for Time Out, with the first edition of the refreshed and free magazine.
“As ever, our hope is to inspire hundreds of thousands of Londoners to make the most of the greatest city on earth.
“The new magazine has been redesigned and the editorial re-imagined to make it fresh, informative, relevant and exciting.
“The move to free will see our circulation soar, taking Time Out’s unique editorial expertise to a huge new audience.”
Time Out expects to distribute over 300,000 free copies every Tuesday at London Underground stations and other major transport hubs in Zones 1 and 2.
Some copies will also be distributed in cafes, boutiques and shops.
The magazine will also continue to be available under subscription and be available digitally via Apple Newsstand
Time Out’s last official ABC sales figure, for the second half of 2011, stood at 55,000 – of which 80 per cent were actively purchased (rather than bulk give-aways). In 2006 circulation stood at 93,000, 77 per cent actively-purchased.
In October 2009, London daily newspaper the Evening Standard went free taking is circulation from around 250,000 to 600,000 overnight.
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