BATON ROUGE (AP) — The Baton Rouge Advocate marked the launch of its daily New Orleans edition Monday, as the newspaper moves to fill in a pending void created by The Times-Picayune’s decision to publish three days a week.

“The Advocate is committed to New Orleans,” said David Manship, publisher of The Advocate. “We’re not here for a couple of days, we are here to stay.”

The Advocate reports it will distribute free copies of the edition across the city this week, then roll out home delivery and sales beginning Oct. 1. The goal is to distribute 10,000 copies across the greater New Orleans area, to 35 zip codes and 400 single copy locations. As of Friday, Manship said there are just over 2,000 subscribers in New Orleans.

More than 50 people attended Monday’s launch at which officials introduced the seven former Times-Picayune reporters who have been hired to work in the bureau which is temporarily housed at 201 St. Charles Ave. A permanent office will be established in the same area.

Gregory Rusovich, chairman-elect of Greater New Orleans Inc., thanked The Advocate for answering the requests of many residents to bring a daily newspaper to the city. “Economically, our region has the hot hand,” Rusovich said. “We deserve a daily paper, and thanks to The Advocate and the Manship family, we will have that daily newspaper.”

New Orleans business leaders were some of the loudest voices opposing the Times-Picayune’s decision to cease publication of a daily newspaper.

Suzanne Mestayer, chairwoman of the Business Council of New Orleans, urged supporters to financially support The Advocate.

“Subscribe to the newspaper, advertise, join the effort,” she said.

Manship said The Advocate’s coverage and staffing in New Orleans will get “bigger and better” as more subscribers get the newspaper.

The Advocate is rolling out an advertising campaign across the city that will involve print, TV, radio and billboards.