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| Chicago Tribune Unveils New 'Printers Row' Section |
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| Written by Larz | |||
| Tuesday, 24 January 2012 11:36 | |||
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The Chicago Tribune today unveiled its new membership-only literary section called "Printers Row." The new section will be included to those who pay the additional fee for it each weekend, along with their Sunday Tribune, beginning in late February.
The new Printers Row section is aimed directly at book lovers who are seeking a deeper look into the lives and workings of authors, book reviews, discussions on books, original stories, in-depth interviews, special reports, book club guides, and a spotlight on Chicago and Midwest writers. The Tribune aims to have Printers Row also be a key source of literary news. Regular contributors to Printers Row will include Chicago Tribune columnists Rick Kogan, Elizabeth Taylor, Julia Keller, and Chris Jones. The plans are to have the section be approximately 24 pages thick. There will be some targeted advertising contained within, but for the most part, the Chicago Tribune hopes to attract enough subscribers to keep the advertising within Printers Row to a minimum and have it be sustained mainly through subscription fees. Printers Row will also come with perks to its members. Each issue will come with a bonus booklet of original work. Additionally, members will gain exclusive VIP access to authors during the monthly Printers Row Live events, VIP access to the annual two-day Printer's Row Lit Fest in June, offers of behind-the-scenes tours of Chicago literary landmarks, as well as access to members-only forums and online discussions. Members will also gain exclusive access to the full online edition of Printers Row, not just the printed version.  In a statement today, Chicago Tribune Editor Gerould Kern said: "Printers Row is a bold innovation that serves a community that is passionate about literature and reading. More than a newspaper section, Printers Row is a unique approach that connects people through print, digital and live events. It represents a new way to reach and satisfy audiences with very specific interests." The Chicago Tribune becomes the first newspaper in America to now offer a membership-only print/online section to book aficionados. News that the Chicago Tribune was considering starting a membership-only Printers Row section was first mentioned in late October 2011. Initially, Printers Row will be made available only to current subscribers of the Chicago Tribune, for an added cost of $99 per year. Non-subscribers who wish to receive Printers Row and its benefits will have to become subscribers. The easiest way to achieve that will be with a one-year Sunday-only subscription with the Printers Row add-on for $149 annually. Non-members/non-subscribers will be able to purchase individual e-book versions of Printers Row via Amazon.com for $2.99 each, however, none of the perks or additional benefits to members will come with that purchase. Many (but not all) subscribers to the Sunday Chicago Tribune will receive a free preview issue of Printers Row this coming Sunday, January 29th. A free digital version of the preview will be made available on that day at this link HERE. After Sunday's free preview, the first official Printers Row issue will be made available on Sunday, February 26th. The Printers Row online members-only areas will also go live on that day. Members will be able to download e-book versions of Printers Row beginning then, compatible with all e-book readers, platforms and devices. The new section's name, Printers Row, comes from area of Chicago's South Loop known as "Printer's Row" (aka "Printing House Row"), which at one time in the past was the center of Chicago's booming printing and publishing industry. Although the neighborhood is largely residential now, from the late 19th century and well into the 20th century, that area was home to several major publishing businesses. The annual Printer's Row Lit Fest, sponsored by the Chicago Tribune and held each June since 1984, helps retain that neighborhood's connection to its literary history. 
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