Singapore

A NEW and improved version of The Business Times Weekend (BT Weekend) hit subscribers' doorsteps last Saturday, and readers liked what they saw.

The publication was relaunched in a new format, with a wrap-around luxury lifestyle magazine called Weekend. Inside, the main newspaper was also revamped as a leisurely weekend read.

The cover story for the Weekend magazine's inaugural issue looked at how Singapore stacks up against great cities of the world and also examined the salted egg yolk craze.

Stefanie Yuen Thio, joint managing director at TSMP Law Corporation, said: "I love BT's new weekend edition. It's intelligent, brilliantly written and well-curated.

"Jaime Ee's exposé on Singapore's growing addiction to all things salted egg demonstrates the firm finger she has on the country's gastro pulse. It's about time we had a more mature commentary about our society like the piece on Singapore's cool factor."

Clarissa Oon, head of communications and content at Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, lauded the magazine as "the weekend magazine Singapore has been waiting for, with both looks and brains".

Readers were fans of the new look that the publication now sports.

"BT Weekend's clean and modern look was the first thing that caught my eye after the revamp," said Christine Li, director of research at Cushman & Wakefield.

"It moves away from the more cluttered look adopted by many traditional newspapers and offers a refreshing look and feel for the newspapers-cum-lifestyle publication."

Jasmine Ong, director of business development at GET.com, saw the appeal of the new BT Weekend, too. "Attractive graphics, neat layout and the content is refreshing!" she said.

The content overhaul in the revamped edition also did not go unnoticed.

"It's now a true 'weekend read' with the type of thoughtful features and columns that set it apart from the weekday noise of daily news flow," said Josephine Chew, associate partner at Watatawa Consulting.

The Saturday newspaper's new column, Offbeat, went down a treat with the weekend crowd. The column, which focuses on obscure and fascinating facts, debuted with an eyebrow-raising exploration of octopuses and their detached limbs.

Joshua Masillamoney, director of corporate rooms - operations at Shangri-La International Hotel Management, said: "What an interesting article in Offbeat. I will never look at another octopus the same again."

From now until Nov 30, subscribers stand to receive a complimentary Fitbit Alta Fitness Wristband (worth S$198) as well as a year's digital access to The Peak Singapore (worth S$366) when they subscribe to a three-year plan with The Business Times. Visit btsub.sg/offer for more details.

Readers also stand to win exclusive dining deals, and Grab will provide S$5 off Grab Taxi rides. Look out for the dining deals and Grab coupon codes appearing in the ads in BT Weekend on Oct 15, 22 and 29.