English-language daily in H.K. to become free paper

The Standard newspaper, a tabloid-style English-language newspaper in Hong Kong, is turning into a free newspaper to expand readership, the paper's owner said Monday.

''We can foresee a dip in revenue when the requirement of notices publication expires,'' Charles Ho told reporters. ''Instead of scrapping the paper or laying off staff members, we would rather try something new. But I can't tell whether it will be successful.''

The requirement that listed companies publicize notices in at least one Chinese-language and one English-language newspaper to announce their results came to an end in June.

Company notice advertisements have been a major income source for the Standard as it has few other advertising revenue sources. The free publication would launch next Monday.

The free daily's target circulation is set at 120,000, while target readers would be ''business executives and the young educated people,'' said Ho, also chairman of the Hong Kong Tobacco Co. and a member of the political advisory body to Beijing.

''We aim at becoming Hong Kong's biggest English-language newspaper by circulation, which would be good to the English print media in Hong Kong by drawing more readers,'' he said.

Sources close to the newspaper said the daily circulation of the Standard was about 50,000 copies, half that of its rival, the South China Morning Post.

The Standard and the SCMP are Hong Kong's two local English-language dailies.