Substantial change in the appearance and format of The Independent

TODAY sees a substantial change in the appearance and format of The Independent. As well as changing the typeface of our headlines (to a face called Modern 880) and text (to News 706), we are introducing a series of improvements that will make The Independent much better value for money. In this, the news section, we are building on our established strengths by giving more space to home and foreign news, expanding the business pages and, to reflect that this is a rather busy time in the world of sport, we will be delivering nine pages of sport every day. Similarly, in our new broadsheet daily review section, we are expanding those areas in which we know our readers have a keen interest: comment, analysis, the arts, media, health, education, law and information technology.

To our established, formidable team of columnists (which includes Suzanne Moore, David Aaronovitch, Donald Macintyre, Hamish Macrae and Andreas Whittam Smith), we are adding, among others, Ken Livingstone, Howard Jacobson and Fergal Keane. There is more space for letters, obituaries, listings and lifestyle-related features.

There will be new regular columns, and the return of some old favourites. Some of our regular features will move (see page 2 of the review) and we ask for your forbearance. We certainly feel you will appreciate the improvements throughout the paper - among them, for instance , a page of reports from parliament, a daily law report and a horseracing service second to none. It is, we feel, a much-improved package, and represents the first stage in a significant investment in The Independent by the newspaper's owners, Independent Newspapers. We hope you like the new paper. We know you'll let us have your views.