When will Associated settle on a strategy for the Evening Standard website? Originally launched as a full-fledged news site under the ThisIsLondon banner, that site was relaunched in August 2006 to focus on only entertainment stories, contributed in part from the new London Lite freesheet. Today saw the launch of the latest incarnation at Standard.co.uk. The new site is an about-turn on the decision to drop serious news about politics and metropolitan affairs, introducing new blogs, opinion columnists and a prevalence of issue-led voting.
But Standard.co.uk, which includes payment options for the print edition’s new cashless purchase option, is a complement to, not a replacement for, the still entertainment-focused ThisIsLondon. Standard editor Veronica Wadley (via Media Week) said the site will allow readers to participate in the paper’s editorial-led campaigns including public transport and cyclist safety. The juggling act Associated New Media has had to do online with the Standard has, in many ways, been precipitated by the print freesheet war in the city. The introduction of London Lite, with its with its more accessible, lighter brand of news story competing with News International’s thelondonpaper, has given Associated a wealth of celeb content, restaurant criticism and gig reviews to place online. Until today, the sharper end of journalism had been less prevalent for the last couple of years.