New publication is designed to attract young readers.

Gannett yesterday published the first edition of Nashville Rage, an entertainment guide distributed independently of its local daily, the Tennessean.

Matt Pulle, media reporter for AAN member Nashville Scene, said the new publication is a pocket-size (“about the size of a shoebox”) listings guide with a few CD, movie and restaurant reviews. The 20,000-circulation, 64-page guide is distributed for free in a side pocket attached to the Tennessean’s regular newsracks. It is also distributed through stand-alone racks, said Pat Embry, the publication’s editor and general manager.

The Rage replaces On Nashville, a now-defunct weekly tabloid that was formerly inserted inside the Tennessean.. Embry said he expects the publication to appeal to a younger audience than the Nashville Scene.

Nashville Scene Editor and Publisher Bruce Dobie said he was impressed by the concept, but not the execution. “It’s kind of what you would expect from middle-aged people trying to appeal to 18-year-old readers,” Dobie said. “It’s feeble and it’s trite.”

The home page of the publication’s unfinished Web site had the following message: “As you can see, our face (among other things) is still being worked on. Another day or so should do it. Check back. In the meantime, checkout our music listings above.”