The Daily Star Decides To Evolve, So It Added More Pages To Its Print Edition

They made the announcement in the Editorial space:

Today’s print edition of The Daily Star has grown by one-third, increasing from 12 pages to 16. The newspaper had added one page each of international news, business, sports and entertainment, with all the content also available on our Web site.

They then went on and on about how this is a sign of progress and confidence in Lebanon and -I kid you not- technological innovations. And then this:

The added content also enhances our role as a platform for our readers; The Daily Star can interact more with the public while creating more public space for citizens to make use of.

More public space for citizens to make use of ? Here’s what they really meant: We want to add more pages so we can sell more ads, but let’s try to spin this as some sort of benefit to our readers.

The website, meanwhile, refuses to change that 80s look. But all hope is not lost. They ended the editorial with a promise:

But this expansion will mark but the first of several new services we plan to provide in 2011 for our readers of the print version and for our Internet audience. As a platform for interaction with the public, we will always welcome our readers’ comments and criticism. We hope you enjoy our new additions, that they bring you better content and that we perform better our duties to you.