DAILIES LAUNCH NEW PRODUCTS.

Growth of niche and other non-daily products continues unabated, certainly illustrated in recent weeks by four start-up announcements from publishers all around the country.

Next Saturday the Seattle Times will start distributing a new weekly home and garden section. The new part of the paper, called "digs," will "offer readers the inspiration and resources to transform their living spaces into personal statements."

The section will be magazine-style, with features including visits to "real people sharing how they live and feel in their unique space," profiles of local artisans, profiles of local merchants, a question-and-answer column and the syndicated column of domestic diva Martha Stewart. The paper also said that its Sunday real estate section has been redesigned to "have a new focus, with more stories and features aimed at local home buyers and sellers."

Last Friday, Excelsior -- the Spanish-language weekly of Southern California's Orange County Register -- sported a new format, new content, new ad rates and a new distribution philosophy.

More than 60,000 copies will be distributed every Friday, with 35,000 in newsracks, 15,000 to Hispanic households with annual incomes in excess of $34,500 and 10,000 distributed as an opt-in with the Register.

The paper is switching to a tabloid format and its new content will include a 16-page entertainment section published in full color.

The Register said that Excelsior "is revising its rate structure for local advertisers by geographic territories, making it easier for reps to build advertising business among smaller retailers."

In Allentown, Pa., the Morning Call has launched a weekly it calls Merge. Started as a digital publication last December, the tabloid is aimed at the ever-popular 18-34 age group and focuses on alternative music, news, movie reviews, dining, health, outdoors and shopping. In addition to staff articles, readers will also contribute content.

"The reviews and listing information are honest and original and come from people with a variety of perspectives and experiences," the Morning Call said.

In Indiana, the new Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly was launched recently by KPC Media Group Inc.

KPC is a local, family-owned company that publishes three dailies in northeast Indiana: The News-Sun of Kendallville, the Evening Star of Auburn and The Herald-Republican in Angola. It also publishes weekly papers and shoppers as well as telephone directories for Northeastern Indiana counties.

"The Fort Wayne region is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country that is not served by its own business newspaper," said Terry Housholder, president and chief executive of KPC.

Four illustrations that prove once again that the growth in newspapering isn't in mainstream dailies, but in niche publications and sections.