Print Specifications
Financial Times Newspaper& Magazines

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

Contents

01 Financial Times
Newspaper
Print Specifications

05 Financial Times 					Newspaper
Production Contacts

02 Financial Times
Newspaper
Customisable sizes

06 Financial Times
Newspapers
Lead Times

03 Financial Times
Newspaper
Approved Suppliers

07 Magazines
Print Specifications

04 Financial Times
Newspaper
Methods of Delivery

08 Magazines
Production Contacts
09 Magazines
Lead Times

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

Financial Times
Newspaper

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

01 Financial Times Newspaper / Print Specifications•	Adverts must be supplied as a high resolution
PDF with fonts embedded•	The FT newspaper has a screen rulingof 100 lpi therefore we recommend
the following• CT (scan) resolution = 200 pixels per inch
• Line work resolution = 1000 pixels per inch•	Allow for at least 30% mid-tone dot gain,
and a maximum of 20% shadow dot gain•	Please use type 1 fonts only, no truetype,no multiplemaster and no bitmaps•	The FT prints in CMYK – please don’t supply rgb,lab, pantone or multitone images•	Only supply composite files, noseparations please•	Please do not supply files with transparency•	When generating PDF’s please ensure Overprint
Preview is turned on, in order to view predictable
final output

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

01 Financial Times Newspaper / Print Specifications•	For colour, the total dot percentage in saturated
areas should not exceed 250% and the minimum
highlight recommendation is 5% cyan, 4%magenta, 4% yellow.
•	Please note that in order to prevent over inking,if an advert exceeds 250% total ink coverage
our software will automatically reduce it to therequired amount, using generic tables•	For mono the recommended maximum dot
should be 85% and the minimum dot 4%•	The recommended minimum for reversed out
type is 10 point•	The recommended minimum for monotext is 6pt•	The recommended minimum for multicoloured
text is 10 point•	Don’t use 4 colour black text, as even the slightest
mis-registration causes disappointing results•	To avoid set off, any large areas of black shouldhave a tint value of 85% applied

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

02 Financial Times Newspapers / Customisable Sizes

Single Column Unit (SCU) adverts are customisable
sizes available in the main newspaper as mono
adverts that will be placed run of paper. An SCU isdefined as an area one column wide and one row
deep on a broadsheet or tabloid newspaper. Each
broadsheet page is divided into 6 columns acrossthe page and 56 cm down the page. Tabloid pages
are divided into 6 columns across the page and 34
cm down the page.
Sizing is determined by the current 6 column gridof the newspaper. The minimum width is 1 column
and the maximum width is 6 columns. The size isdetermined by height (CM) and number of columns.
Calculating SCU Rates
1. Check if you wish to run in a broadsheet ortabloid sized newspaper & decide how big youradvert will need to be
2. Take the height of the specification in centimetersie broadsheet height - 345mm or tabloid height- 262mm
3. Multiply that height by the number of columns i.e.
the width of the advert
4. Then multiply the result by the SCU rate

Calculating SCU Rates Example
Half Page advert worldwide advert•	Standard Broadsheet size is 280x345mm
280mm = 28 cm•	SCU column width 345mm
Using the table on the right you cansee that 354mm = 6 columns•	SCU Rate
Using the rate card you can determine
the SCU rate is £315
Total is worked out as follows
28 x 6 x 315 = £52.920
Advertisement Dimensions Disclaimer
Because the Financial Times is produced at multiple
print sites worldwide, each of which has a different
specification, the actual physical dimensions of an
SCU will vary across each of the FT’s editions. Withregard to creative, advertisers are required to submit
copy to physical dimensions based on our standard
page size (a standard page is 560mm x 345mm forbroadsheet, 340mm x262mm for tabloid). However,an SCU will always cover the same percentageof the total printed page area in any edition.
Depending on the editions booked, copy will notalways be reproduced to the same dimensions
as the material submitted. However, it will always
occupy the same proportion of the printed page ineach edition.
FT will not therefore consider claims for compensationon the basis that a printed advertisement is not thesame as a quoted copy size.

Standard Broadsheet
ColumnWidth (mm)

153

2112

3170

4230

5–

6345

TabloidColumn

Width (mm)1402843129

4173

5–6262

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

03 Financial Times Newspaper / Approved Suppliers

The Financial Times has a network of approved
reprographic suppliers. These companies will, on
receipt of your digital file, verify and if necessary
correct the advertisement to meet the FT’s
specification, with the proofing curve applied.
Upon your approval, an approved supplier will
supply the FT production department with anelectronic file to our specification, ready forpublication. We recommend that all customers
supply colour advertisements by this method,
details of approved suppliers are listed below:
Curious Productions
Andy Gladden
M +447487 271372
Billy Matthews
M +447711 097999
studio@curious-productions.co.uk
T +44 (0)20 3823 1440
Tapestry
Richard Steerrichard.steer@tapestry.co.uk
T +44 (0)20 7896 3002

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

04 Financial Times Newspaper / Methods of Delivery

Digital files can be supplied using one of thefollowing methods:
AdStream
PDF delivery and flightchecking mechanism –details from www.adstream.com
QumuliPDF delivery system with optional flightchecker –details from www.qmuli.com
EmailWe can only accept PDFx1a’s smaller than
20MB via this route.
Send your files to adcopy@ft.com. If you arein the USA, please send your files to ustraffic@ft.com. For Asia, please send to your files to yoursales representative.
AdsendPDF delivery – details from www.adsend.com

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

05 Financial Times Newspaper / Production Contacts

UK & EUMark Frisby
T +44 (0) 20 7873 3176adcopy@ft.com
Sophie Horton
T +44 (0) 20 7873 4830
adcopy@ft.com
USA & Americas
Marifel Lanada
marifel.lanada@ft.com
Asia
Mark Li
mark.li@ft.com
Middle East
Luke Mcgreevy
luke.mcgreevy@ft.com

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

06 Financial Times Newspaper / Lead Times

SectionClassified

DisplayRegion
United Kingdom

EuropeInternational

General7 days–7 daysFinancial Times Weekend Newspaper

7 days–7 days

Recruitment

7 days7 days7 daysGeneral7 days–7 daysFinancial Times Weekend Newspaper

7 days–7 days

Edition Panoramics/Butt ups

7 days7 days7 daysSpecial Reports

7 days–7 days

Tabloids

7 days–7 daysSurvey Panoramics/Butt ups

7 days7 days7 daysPlease note that the above lead times refer to working days only and do not include weekends and public holidays.

PRINT SPECIFICATIONSMagazinesPRINT SPECIFICATIONS

07 Magazines / Print Specifications

FT Weekend Magazine, FT Wealth& Business Education•	File requirements: Acrobat distiller PDFfull specification can be found atwww.pass4press.com•	Proof: Digital cromalin or other industry standard
proof should be supplied originating from PDF
supplied•	Live matter area: Type matter or otherillustrative material on a bleed page, butnot intended to bleed,must be positioned
at least 5mm within specified trim size•	Ink density: Combined colour ink density
should not exceed 300%
•	Printer marks: Heatset Web-offset
 rapping, overprint & knockout: We will notT
alter the overprint and knockout settings on yourdocument, beyond removing any white overprint.
If inappropriate overprint is used in a document(e.g. a lighter colour set to overprint a darkercolour), The FT will not be held responsible forincorrect printed results. The creator should apply
any trapping requirements if necessary,
but must be aware of the various application
software limitations. The printer will notapply trappingPRINT SPECIFICATIONS

07 Magazines / Print Specifications

HTSI•	File requirements: High resolution
Acrobat Distiller PDF and proof•	PDF specification: PDF/X-1.A. Full spec
for PDF file creation can be found atwww.pass4press.com•	Proof specification: Supplied proof mustbe generated from the final PDF supplied.
The proofing profile required for accurate press
simulation is ISOcoated_v2_300_eci.icc’ based on
Fogra 391, characterisation data. The required
ICC profile can be obtained from the ECI website
http://www.ugra.ch/iso-color-profiles.phtml. Fogra
media wedge details can be found atwww.fogra.org•	Printer marks: PDF supplied must include trimmarks set to trim size of publication. Crop marks
should be positioned outside the bleed andprinted area•	File supply:
Email: magscopy@ft.com
FTP: ftp.dexter-premedia.com
Username: ftPassword: htsi
Please open relevant HTSI folder and place filewithin it, and notify magscopy@ft.com that thefile has been loaded

Trapping, overprint & knockout
We will not alter the overprint and knockout
settings on your document, beyond removing any
white overprint. If inappropriate overprint is used ina document (eg a lighter colour set to overprint adarker colour), The FT will not be held responsiblefor incorrect printed results. The creator should
apply any trapping requirements if necessary, butmust be aware of the various application software
limitations. The printer will not apply trapping.

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

07 Magazines / Print Specifications

Art of Fashion•	File requirements: Acrobat distiller
PDF-full specification can be found atwww.pass4press.com•	Proof: Digital cromalin or other industry standard
proof should be supplied originating from PDFsupplied•	Live matter area: Type matter or otherillustrative material on a bleed page, but
not intended to bleed,must be positioned
at least 5mm within specified trim size•	Colour area: P47L Uncoated Or 29L Uncoated•	Ink density: Combined colour inkdensity should not exceed 300%
•	Printer marks: PPDF supplied must include
trim marks set to trim size of publication. Cropmarks should be positioned outside the bleed
and printed area•	Printing process: Heatset Web-offset
Trapping, overprint & knockout
We will not alter the overprint and knockout
settings on your document, beyond removing any
white overprint. If inappropriate overprint is used ina document (eg a lighter colour set to overprint adarker colour), The FT will not be held responsiblefor incorrect printed results. The creator should
apply any trapping requirements if necessary, butmust be aware of the various application software
limitations. The printer will not apply trapping.

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

08 Magazine / Production Contacts

Magazine production contacts
Daniel Macklin
T +44 (0) 207 873 4120
magscopy@ft.com
Mark Frisby
T +44 (0) 207 873 3176
magscopy@ft.com
Sophie Horton
T +44 (0) 207 873 4830
magscopy@ft.com

PRINT SPECIFICATIONS

09 Magazines / Lead Times

SectionRegion
United Kingdom

EuropeInternational

FT Weekend Magazine

7 days–7 days

HTSI

21 days

21 days

21 days

FT Wealth

21 days

21 days

21 days

Art of Fashion

21 days

21 days

21 daysBusiness Education

21 days

21 days

21 days