Two former Gannett Co. Inc. executives have floated a plan to print a weekly newspaper aimed at young adults.

The weekly publication, named pyng, is slated to be introduced this September, said Jim Gath, a former USA Today vice president and pyng co-founder.

Gath said his firm is negotiating with a number of newspapers, both domestic and international, to become partners in the venture.

Weekly to begin publishing this fall.
Photo: pyng

Participating newspaper partners will be asked to print the weekly at little or no cost to pyng’s backers.

In return, the newspapers will be able to keep revenues they receive from selling local ads as well as collect a portion of pyng’s $1 cover price. Initially, pyng is targeting smaller metro and suburban dailies as likely partners. Larger newspapers, Gath said, may not have the excess press capacity required to produce the publication.

Pyng is geared to the 25- to 34-year-old demographic, an elusive market segment that newspapers have wrestled to attract.

Pyng is incorporating as a non-profit entity, which Gath maintains will enable the publisher to sell ad space at deeply discounted rates.

Pyng is designed as a 48-page four-color tabloid. A prototype edition, handed out during March’s America East convention, contained splashy graphics and short articles about health, travel and the media.

Unlike Parade or USA Weekend, pyng isn’t designed to be inserted into the participating newspaper; instead, pyng will be distributed via newsstands, kiosks and racks, Gath said.

Gath’s partner, Hoshin Seki, a former Gannett production executive, is piecing together the systems needed to create and lay out the paper, Gath said vendors are still being assessed but the publication will definitely use Internet and satellite technologies for production.

Gath said he hopes that pyng will be available in five U.S. markets by mid-2004 with 22 markets distributing the publication by the end of 2006. By 2008, Gath plans to make pyng available in the top 20 U.S. markets as well as the top eight international cities.