Washington Post To Launch Free DC Commuter Newspaper

Posted on August 1, 2003

The Washington Post Company announced that it will launch Express, a new commuter newspaper, later this summer. The new publication will appear each weekday morning, Monday through Friday, in tabloid form and will be distributed free-of-charge near Metro stations, on college campuses, and in urban locations with heavy daytime sidewalk traffic throughout the Washington area.

A typical edition of Express will be 20 to 24 pages -- designed to be read in 15 to 20 minutes, during the morning commute or breaks in the workday. The publication will feature short news summaries for a broad range of recent developments, from major national and international stories to business and market highlights, and local news and entertainment coverage. Content will be drawn from a variety of news sources and services.

Express Publications Company, LLC, a new Post Company subsidiary, will work closely with The Washington Post newspaper to publish Express.

Donald E. Graham, chairman and chief executive officer of The Washington Post Company, said, "A quick news and entertainment summary, distributed free each morning during the commute, is an ideal way for the company to augment the information needs of many local residents. Along with The Washington Post and washingtonpost.com, Express underscores our continuing commitment to finding the best ways to serve larger audiences as well as advertisers."

The publisher of Express, Graham announced, will be Christopher Ma, a Post Company vice president and former executive editor of washingtonpost.com; the general manager will be Arnold Applebaum, formerly director of recruitment advertising at The Post. Express will be edited by Daniel Caccavaro, formerly editor-in-chief of Boston Metro, a free commuter newspaper launched in Boston in 2001.