Newspapers' deal indicates P-I may become tabloid

A new agreement between The Seattle Times Co. and The Hearst Corp., signed Sunday to settle a four-year legal dispute, includes a hint that Hearst might change the Seattle Post-Intelligencer to a tabloid format.

The settlement agreement takes the form of a new joint operating agreement (JOA) between the companies, to replace one signed in 1999. Hearst owns the P-I.

The new document, like the old one, says The Times cannot change the P-I to a tabloid without Hearst's permission. However, it adds these new sentences:

"Hearst may, however, at its discretion choose to move the P-I to a tabloid format. In such event, Times and Hearst shall agree upon such production, marketing, circulation and advertising accommodations and adjustments as shall be reasonably necessary or appropriate to effectuate the P-I's change in format."

Newspapers in tabloid format generally are believed to appeal to a different market than traditional "broadsheet" newspapers — the smaller size appeals to bus or rail commuters, for example. The greater emphasis on the possibility of a tabloid P-I may be a bid to increase revenues to the JOA, which The Times has said has not been profitable since 2000.

Under the JOA, in effect since 1983, The Times and P-I maintain separate newsrooms, but The Times handles production, advertising, circulation and other business functions for both.

The new JOA also includes, for the first time, language that says Hearst could decide to let The Times sell the P-I for a different price than The Times.

Neither P-I Publisher Roger Oglesby nor Times spokeswoman Jill Mackie were immediately available for comment

Eric Pryne: 206-464-2231 or epryne@seattletimes.com