Will tradition be enough for the Observer?

I picked up the Observer yesterday as I usually do on a Sunday and as I rifled quickly through wondered how much longer I would be spending 2 pounds and whether it would be best simply to combine the issue with Saturday's Guardian.

Page 2 gave some hope with the preamble on its next relaunch at the weekend and John Mulholland tries to justify the changes in today's Media Guardian.

the paper's legacy and we will be trying to build on it next Sunday, when the Observer will be published as a four-section paper, plus our monthly Observer Food magazine. News, Sport, the Observer Magazine and our New Review section have all undergone significant changes.

he writes but I wonder whether this will be a final shot at a tradition dating back to 1791.

At least the 7 day Tv pages are returning though