For good measure.

Did you notice the magazine's new design? I can explain it in it one word: readability. In the past few years I've heard from a contingent of CW readers about the need for increased readability. And then there was the call from the Canadian Association for the Blind, where a polite representative talked to me pointedly and at length about the challenges of reading small type on color backgrounds when you are over 40. Add to that the transformation of IABC's web site (www.iabc.com) to a more modern look, and you have the ingredients for a major shift in thinking about IABC's visual identity. I hope you'll enjoy our clean and sleek design, in addition to some newly found visual clarity. Drop me a note and let me know what you think.

As we prepared for this issue, I received some disappointing news. After a year of Editor's Angle columns, which included some of the finest, funniest, most outrageous and useful articles to grace the pages of CW, Steve Crescenzo is moving on. If you find yourself missing Steve as much as I know I will, you can get some relief by going to his blog, blog.ragan.com /stevesblog. In the meantime, we are thankful to CW team member Sue Khodarahmi, who will apply her own brand of irreverent humor and years of experience to take on this important column (see page 13).

As I mentioned in my last letter, after 40 years as a CW columnist, Alden Wood is retiring. We'd have to throw a party with a cast of thousands to truly show our appreciation for his years of service. But while a few pages in this magazine are not as grand, they are no less heartfelt. Please check out our tribute to this great man of words (page 38).

This issue focuses on measurement, but you'll notice that it also includes a large dose of ethics, trust and corporate social responsibility. I believe you'll appreciate that the articles on these weighty topics are dealt with in a way that is useful, rather than preachy. One interesting debate is explored through the IABC Research Foundation's ethics study, conducted by Shannon Bowen, Ph.D., with the University of Maryland (page 34). Just how much responsibility does a communication professional have for the ethics of the organization? Does the position bring with it the role of the corporation's conscience? There are vehement arguments on both sides of this facscinating issue. You can expect to see more from us on this debate. I'd be interested in your thoughts.