[2] Metro is likewise available within subways stations and bus terminals as well as at secondary distribution points such as grocery stores, coffee shops and business towers, as well as in boxes on the street.
[4] Although the idea of free distribution has been used for decades (such as Vancouver's The Georgia Straight, Montreal Mirror and New York City's The Village Voice) it was started by newsagents in the nineteenth century.
[5] While the commuter paper clearly does revert to some old-fashioned practices, it also incorporates the very modern devices of cell phones and iPads with apps tailored to each medium.
[3] This special edition of the paper seemed to function as a way for Metro to increase its readership among its young, pop-culture-conscious readers while simultaneously providing a fruitful promotion opportunity for Lady Gaga.
To reach this audience the paper employs traditional newsprint, as well as online and mobile formats and finally through apps for BlackBerry, iPhone, and Android phones, and most recently the tablet.
Metro brings relevant daily updates and unique global inspiration at the right time and in the right format to enhance the YAMs' quality of life.
[2] Metro claims to have 50/50 male to female readership, something a paper such as The Globe and Mail has struggled with for years, eventually introducing a "Lifestyle" section to address this very problem.
Like other traditional papers that have struggled, The Halifax Daily News, known for tackling issues such as racism, patronage and city planning, was shut down on February 11, 2008 by owner Transcontinental Media, who launched a local edition of the free Metro to replace it.
[2] Since its launch, Metro has provided a unique opportunity for advertisers “to influence a very hard-to-reach audience – young, active, well-educated, urban, professionals”.
Some of Canada's largest and most successful newspapers, The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star have also recently made their papers smaller, if only centimeters shorter when unfolded and held open.
These standard-format newspapers are part of large media conglomerates which may also be serving their own interests, for instance advertising for other companies or products associated with the brand.