New York Times changes Herald Tribune name to International New York Times
The International Herald Tribune, the 125-year-old US newspaper based in Paris, owned by the New York Times , is changing its name to . . . The International New York Times. The move is being seen as one of the first signs of ex-BBC chief Mark Thompson's influence on the company of which he has just become CEO.
Thompson: 'Significant potential'
A redesigned Web site for international audiences is also part of the plan. .
The name change will happen in the autumn , reflecting the company’s intention to focus on its core New York Times newspaper and build its international presence, the Times reported.
Thompson said in a statement that the company recently explored its prospects with international audiences, and noted there was “significant potential to grow the number of New York Times subscribers outside of the United States.”
He added: “The digital revolution has turned The New York Times from being a great American newspaper to becoming one of the world’s best-known news providers. We want to exploit that opportunity.”
Jill Abramson, the executive editor of The New York Times, said ,“This recognises our global reach and is an exciting and logical move.”
The masthead of the international paper will also change..
Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, publisher of The International Herald Tribune, said “extensive research” showed there was substantial potential, under the new name to increase the number of international subscribers to the digital editions of The New York Times.
New employees will be hired to work on NYTimes.com — currently the combined Web site of The New York Times and The Herald Tribune — in Europe and Asia, he said.
The renamed paper will remain based in Paris, where it was founded in 1888 as the European edition of The New York Herald. It will also keep its sizable office in Hong Kong where the Asian edition is edited.
“Everyone at The New York Times thinks fundamentally that for this to be successful, the paper needs to be edited and curated for an international sensibility,” Dunbar-Johnson said. “The core attributes of The International Herald Tribune will be retained and refined.”
After The New York Herald Tribune folded in the US in 1991, the Washington Post and Times became co-owners of the paper. In 2003 The Times bought out The Post’s share and became the sole owner.