Financial Times unveils global refresh

LONDON - Today the Financial Times is introducing a 'refreshed' version of the newspaper, incorporating a range of design changes aimed to further enhance the award winning content* of the newspaper and to improve navigation. Changes will also be introduced to FT Weekend (formerly known as Weekend FT) and the FT magazine on Saturday 28 April. The changes to both the weekday and weekend newspapers will run in all editions-UK, Europe, Asia and the US-of the Financial Times.

Lionel Barber said, "These changes are evolutionary and will provide extra news, deeper analysis and comment. By improving the navigation of the newspaper, we're aiming to help our busy readers get more out of the paper so that they understand that the Financial Times is not only as an informative and entertaining read, but also as an essential business tool."

In the weekday edition, the masthead and colour palette have been revised and inside the newspaper there is greater signposting and labelling, improving navigation and making it easier for readers to scan stories. The 'People' section is greatly expanded to highlight important moves in the corporate world and Business Life and Arts pages have been moved to occupy the prominent, final spread in Section One. In Section Two, there will be clear labelling of corporate stories by sector, and improved coverage of the financial markets.

The number of colour pages in section one (16 pages) has been increased from 8 to 14 pages. There are also more signposts to FT.com, offering readers direction and access to additional content and information online, that complements the newspaper.

In the weekend edition, the masthead is also revised, now reading 'FT Weekend' with a new headline font. There are seven pages of arts and the inside two back pages will now be entitled 'Critics Choice'. Changes will also be made to FT magazine, with a bolder cover, the introduction of more space and colour throughout. A new section called 'Frontiers' will be added to the magazine, along with a new column by Simon Briscoe entitled 'It Doesn't Add Up' and an expanded Books section, featuring more author interviews. The back page will now be called 'Defining Moment', which will each week feature a moment which influenced and shaped the world in which we live today.

In addition to the other great columnists at the Financial Times, some new columnists will be joining the newspaper in April. Clive Crook, who was recently appointed Chief Washington Columnist and Associate Editor, will write a new weekly column, starting on Thursday 26^th April, which will focus on political and economic issues as well as other public policy matters. Luke Johnson, Chairman of Channel 4, will also write a weekly column in Business Life (UK edition only) regarding the challenges facing British Businesses and Matthew Engel will write a weekly column in FT magazine.

The Financial Times will also be reviving the original 'Without Fear & Without Favour' motto, which will appear on the 'Leader' page. This first appeared in the Financial Times in 1888.

To mark the refresh of the newspaper, an advertising campaign is launching in the UK today, featuring three creatives that encapsulate the key business themes of globalisation, mergers and acquisitions and business revolutionaries. The refresh and advertising campaign also sees the introduction of a new slogan: 'We Live in Financial Times'.

Today's issue of the Financial Times also has a special coverwrap, featuring one of the creatives from the advertising campaign: a global cityscape, depicting 'world business in one place.'

The refresh is the result of extensive reader research, carried out by independent consultant Hilary Birt, from May 2006 to March 2007, during which respondents agreed that the new look was "more modern" with "newer, fresher colours" and that the "better sectioning makes it easier to read".

For further information please contact:

Emma Gilpin-Jacobs
Director of Communications
Financial Times
T: +44 (0) 20 7873 4447
M: +44 (0) 7802 955 243
E: emma.gilpin-jacobs@ft.com

Jo Crosby
Communications Manager
Financial Times
T: +44 (0) 20 7873 3811
M: +44 (0) 78131 85975
E: jo.crosby@ft.com

Victoria Dickson
Mantra PR
T: +44 (0) 20 7907 7800
E: vdickson@mantra-pr.com

Notes to Editors:

The Financial Times Group, one of the world's leading business information companies, aims to provide a broad range of business information and services to the growing audience of internationally minded business people.  The FT Group includes:

1. The Financial Times, one of the world's leading business newspapers, is recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy.  Providing extensive news, comment and analysis, the newspaper is printed in 23 cities across the globe, has a daily circulation of 461,000 and a readership of more than 1.4 million people worldwide.
2. FT.com is one of the world's leading business information websites, and the internet partner of the FT newspaper. Since its relaunch in May 2002, the website has continued to be the definitive home for business intelligence on the web, providing an essential source of news, comment, data and analysis for the global business community. FT.com attracts 5.3 million unique monthly users (ABC electronic figures January 2007) generating 40.4 million page views and has 90,000 subscribers.
3. The FT Group's pan-European network of national business newspapers and online services including France's leading business newspaper and website, Les Echos and lesechos.fr.  In February 2000, the FT launched a new German language newspaper, FT Deutschland, with a fully integrated online business news and data service.
4. Through FT Interactive Data, the FT Group is one of the world's leading sources of securities pricing and specialist financial information to global institutional, professional and individual investors.  Its products include eSignal, an online realtime streaming quotation service for brokers and active traders.
5. FT Business, which produces specialist information on the retail, personal and institutional finance industries. It publishes the UK's premier personal finance magazine, Investors Chronicle, and The Banker, Money Management and Financial Adviser for professional advisers.
6. The Mergermarket Group, whose products and services provide the global advisory and corporate communities with intelligence and analysis. With regional head offices in London, New York and Hong Kong and 200 journalists in 46 locations worldwide, reliable and validated proprietary intelligence and historical data is provided via the mergermarket, dealReporter, Debtwire and wealthmonitor on-line platforms. 
7. The Financial Times Group also has a stake in a number of joint ventures, including;
   
   
   • FTSE International, a joint venture with the London Stock Exchange.
   • Vedomosti, Russia's leading business newspaper and a partnership venture with Dow Jones and Independent Media
   • A 50% stake in BDFM, publishers of South Africa's leading financial newspapers and websites.
   • A 50% stake in The Economist Group, which publishes the world's leading weekly business and current affairs journal.
   • A 13.85% stake in Business Standard, one of India's leading financial newspapers.

The FT Group is part of Pearson plc, the international media group.

* In 2007 the Financial Times has won the following awards:

• Digital Media Awards: Best News Content - FT.com
• Adicio Best Practices Awards: Best Media Kit - FT.com
• Watson Wyatt Award for Excellence in HR Journalism: Executive Remuneration & Corporate Governance - Stefan Stern
• British Press Awards: Reporter of the Year - Sheila McNulty
• British Press Awards: Specialist Writer of the Year - Sheila McNulty
• Association of Circulation Excellence (ACE) Awards: The Award for Service & Communication - Financial Times won Silver

The Financial Times has also received 8 nominations for the Business Journalist of the Year Awards and 6 nominations for the Newspaper Awards