Hoy In Chicago.

Tribune Publishing announced that it will introduce Hoy in Chicago in early September. The Spanish-language daily newspaper will provide daily news and features of interest to Chicago’s 1.6 million Hispanics. Hoy will replace !Exito!, the 10-year-old Spanish-language weekly published by Chicago Tribune, and will be led by the same experienced editorial, sales and management team. Hoy debuted in New York in November 1998 and has become the second largest Spanish-language daily newspaper in the U.S. in less than five years.

“Chicago represents the fourth-largest Hispanic market in the U.S. That’s larger than most major cities,” said Louie Sito, Tribune Publishing vice president/Hispanic media and publisher of Hoy. “Hoy was created in response to the need for a high-quality, Spanish-language daily that will give Chicago’s Hispanics the news and information they need to navigate their adopted home, while providing them with news from their native countries.”

“In fewer than five years, Hoy in New York has become the nation’s second-largest Spanish language newspaper,” added Sito. “We look forward to similar growth in Chicago, where we plan to build on the reputation !Exito! has established with readers through its solid journalism and with advertisers by delivering Chicago’s sought-after Hispanic consumer.”

Hoy will place an emphasis on credible and impartial journalism with a commitment to local news and features. It will devote pages each day to news from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Each Friday, readers can follow the latest trends in music, food, movies and local events in Vida Hoy, a weekend supplement highlighting Hispanic culture.

“Expansion of Hoy to Chicago is a natural next step for Tribune Publishing,” said Jack Fuller, Tribune Publishing president. “By taking advantage of Tribune’s strengths in New York and Chicago, we have every reason to believe that Hoy’s unique connection to the Hispanic community will be replicated and bring another voice to the Chicago market.”

Available Monday-Friday, Hoy will sell for a quarter throughout the Chicagoland area in vending boxes, at newsstands and in retail outlets. !Exito!’s management team remains in place for the new Hoy edition, including Digby Solomon, general manager since September 2002; Alejandro Escalona, editor since 1997; Julian Posada, director of marketing and major market sales; and Gladys Arroyo, director/local and classified sales.

“We’re excited to be providing the Hispanic population of Chicago with comprehensive news and information that improves their lives,” said Solomon. “We’ll be publishing more content in a single day than we were able to provide in a week. That’s a huge benefit for our readers and a great environment for our advertisers to reach this market.”