A compact newspaper is a British term referring to a supposedly broadsheet-quality newspaper that comes in a tabloid-format. It first started when the Independent produced a smaller format for London’s commuters to read on the train/tube/bus, as it was difficult to read. Then other people liked the format so the Independent distributed it around the country; the other newspapers “The Times” and “The Scotsman” copied the format as the Independent increased sales.

Newspapers currently published in a compact format include The Times, The Independent, and The Scotsman. All of these newspapers are now completely compact owing to the success of trial periods whereby a broadsheet and compact version were produced simultaneously.

The term arises from a 1970s term coined by the Daily Mail, although that newspaper has long since admitted that it is a tabloid.

See Also

• tabloid
• broadsheet
• The Independent