Monday and Tuesday editions of many newspapers are becoming thinner as ads move to editions later in the week. Merc editor Dave Butler, in a memo to staffers (posted by Romenesko), says: “One thing we’re exploring — as are a number of other [MediaNews Group] newspapers — is to produce ‘Quick Read’ Monday and Tuesday newspapers. As you all know, we’ve been moving down this path for some months and would likely continue to do so, particularly tightening up Monday.”

In 2005, the Merc was considering a concept called “The 5 Minute Merc.” Then editor Susan Goldberg described it in a speech at a college newspaper convention: “[W]e’re looking at the idea of introducing a quick-read, tabloid version of the paper called the Five Minute Merc, which would publish daily in addition to the traditional paper. Maybe that’s one answer for time-starved readers. There are probably a dozen other answers just as good.”