Pages join the design revolution.* Content still drives the effort to increase the graphic impact on readers. Most editorial page editors want their pages included in the design revolution now under way at the nation's daily newspapers - provided the approach is functional rather than cosmetic cosmetic /cos·met·ic/ (koz-met´ik) 1. pertaining to cosmesis. 2. a beautifying substance or preparation. cos·met·ic n. , and provided that it facilitates the understanding and application of information and benchmarks they offer their readers. Virtually all of the nation's larger daily newspapers, and many others, have improved the appearance of their editorial pages in recent decades by using larger body type and wider columns for editorials, adopting easier-to-read type faces, and making greater use of white space. Some, such as The Atlanta Constitution, The Charlotte Observer, and The Courier-Journal in Louisville, have made more dramatic changes in design, including expanded use of graphics, drawings, and pictures. Strong support for content-driven graphics and other changes to improve appearance was reported in a recent survey of 106 editorial page editors at daily newspapers in the United States This list of daily newspapers in the United States is a list of daily newspapers as described at newspaper types that are printed and distributed in the United States. with a circulation of 100,000 or more. More than 60% of the editors responded to questions about how they have changed and expect to change the design of their editorial pages. A fairly even distribution of the responses among major geographical areas of the country complements the high response percentage. Editors' responses have been grouped under several headings to facilitate discussion including: * An overview of space and design. * Recent changes. * Use of pictures. * Use of drawings and graphics. * Use of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color . * Readers and readership read·er·ship n. 1. The readers of a publication considered as a group. 2. Chiefly British The office of a reader at a university. . * Prospects for the future. Space and design More than half (55%) of the editors indicated that they have two pages daily and a section on Sunday Sunday: see Sabbath; week. in which to present their views. Almost a fourth (23%) have two pages daily and Sunday, and the others have at least one page daily and Sunday. Almost two-thirds (63%) said the masthead mast·head n. 1. Nautical The top of a mast. 2. The listing in a newspaper or periodical of information about its staff, operation, and circulation. 3. at the top left side of the editorial page serves as an identification marker marker /mark·er/ (mahrk´er) something that identifies or that is used to identify. tumor marker . In addition, 37% use the term editorials to identify the page; 35% use opinions, and 28% use variations such as "Viewpoints," "The Forum," and "Perspectives." Slightly more than half (54%) use vertical makeup makeup In the performing arts, material used by actors for cosmetic purposes and to help create the characters they play. Not needed in Greek and Roman theatre because of the use of masks, makeup was used in the religious plays of medieval Europe, in which the angels' faces on the editorial page as compared with only 12% who use horizontal, and others who use a modular approach. But the emphasis shifts on the opposite-editorial page where 54% said they use a modular approach, 25% horizontal, and the others vertical. Most use staff-drawn cartoons Many of the cartoons used in this database were obtained from The Cartoon Bank, Dobbs Ferry, NY, which has a huge selection of cartoons on every subject (visit www.cartoonbank.com). (74%), syndicated cartoons (55%), or both on a daily basis to make statements and enhance appearance. One-fourth also use a comic cartoon cartoon [Ital., cartone=paper], either of two types of drawings: in the fine arts, a preliminary sketch for a more complete work; in journalism, a humorous or satirical drawing. daily. Recent changes Virtually all of the newspapers have made changes in the 1980s and 1990s to improve the appearance of their editorial pages. The changes cited most often include increased use of graphics, cited by 60%; deploying elements in different places on the page, 54%; increased use of drawings, 51%; and adopting more readable read·a·ble adj. 1. Easily read; legible: a readable typeface. 2. Pleasurable or interesting to read: a readable story. type faces, 46%. Century Schoolbook Century Schoolbook is a modern or didone classification serif typeface designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1919 for the American Type Founders (ATF). It is classified as old style, but the Schoolbook variation has elements similar to the Didone classification. , New Century Schoolbook, and Helvetica are the type faces cited most often. Various reasons were given for making the changes. Forty percent said "content demands graphics," and 37% said "changes in the industry." Nearly a third, 29%, attributed it to "executives' suggestions," while almost the same number, 28%, said "readership surveys" were responsible. Various "others," including things such as efforts to reach younger readers and increased availability of graphics, were cited by 43%. Only 14% said they had added design persons to work strictly with the editorial pages, but this could be a particularly important step if it becomes a trend. Relationships with art departments may not be as bad as some have suggested. Only 12% said the art department "treats us like a stepchild step·child n. 1. A child of one's spouse by a previous union. 2. Something that does not receive appropriate care, respect, or attention: "Demography has a reputation for being the stepchild of . . . ." However, only 25% of the editors said the artists are "eager to work with us." More than half (54%) said the statement "willing to help when asked" best describes the relationship. Pictures About three-fourths of the editors said they use pictures, at least occasionally, on their editorial pages. The most frequent use of pictures is a head shot appearing with columns. More than half (57%) said they do this daily and another 11% said they do it often. Two-thirds of the editors (67%) said they occasionally use head shots with editorials; 60% said they occasionally use them with articles; and 44% said they occasionally use them with letters. But fewer than 10% said they use head shots in any of these three ways on a daily basis. About two-thirds of the editors also reported that they occasionally use other types of pictures with editorials, columns, letters, and articles, but only 7% use them in any of these ways on a daily basis. Almost half (46%) said they occasionally use pictures as editorials. But only 3% said they do so on a daily basis. Drawings and graphics Between half and two-thirds of the editors said they occasionally use drawings to accompany editorials, columns, letters, and articles, but very few said they do so on a daily basis. The most frequent use of drawings on a daily basis involved 11% who use head drawings with columns. In general, editors use other types of drawings more often than head drawings with their editorials, letters, and articles. But they use them only on an occasional basis. Editors reported using a wide variety of graphics and other typographical ty·pog·ra·phy n. pl. ty·pog·ra·phies 1. a. The art and technique of printing with movable type. b. The composition of printed material from movable type. 2. devices, at least on an occasional basis. The most popular type-based graphic is the "pull-quote," used by 25% of editors daily, 38% of them often, and 18% occasionally. The pull-quote is the only graphic device that as many as 10% of the editors reported using on a daily basis. Very few editors said they use charts or graphs daily or often, but 65% occasionally use bar charts or graphs. Fifty-nine percent occasionally use line charts/graphs and pie charts/graphs, and 77% occasionally use maps. More than three-fourths of the editors said they use larger type and wider columns for editorials daily. About three-fourths use variations in column widths elsewhere on the page daily (29%), often (34%), or occasionally (12%). Three-fourths of the editors said they had increased the use of white space on their pages, although only 20% said they have done so on a daily basis. Editors reported using many other graphics variations at least occasionally, including kicker Kicker A right, warrant, or some other feature added to a debt instrument to make it more desirable to potential investors. Notes: The ability to trade a bond or other debt instrument in for stock may entice investors, if they feel the stock will appreciate. , feature-style, and reverse-plate headlines; subheads; and large cap letters to begin paragraphs. Color Color has yet to become common on editorial pages. Approximately three-fourths of the editors said they never use it, and only a few reported using it often. Almost a fourth (23%) said they use it occasionally for graphics; 18% said they use it occasionally for pictures; 16% said they use it occasionally for staff cartoons, and 13% said they use it occasionally for syndicated cartoons. Most indicated, however, that their reason for not using color is that it is not readily available to them at this time. Only 6% said they don't use it because they believe it could detract from detract from verb 1. lessen, reduce, diminish, lower, take away from, derogate, devaluate << OPPOSITE enhance verb 2. the tone of the pages. Readership Only 14% of the editors said they have studies to document increased readership as a result of improvements in appearance. But more than half said they believe such improvements have helped them achieve "significant increases" (14%) or "moderate increases" (42%) in the readership of their pages. About a third (37%) said they could see little if any change, and others indicated they are uncertain about the impact. Almost half of the editors said that readers' reactions to changes in the 1990s had been "very positive" (9%) or "positive" (38%). Almost that many (43%) said they had received "little reaction," but only 2% said the reaction had been negative. The future An open-ended question A closed-ended question is a form of question, which normally can be answered with a simple "yes/no" dichotomous question, a specific simple piece of information, or a selection from multiple choices (multiple-choice question), if one excludes such non-answer responses as dodging a regarding expected changes in various aspects of editorial page operation predictably drew a wide variety of responses, but several significant clusters could suggest future trends. More than a third of the editors said they expect to see a continuation, perhaps expansion, in the use of graphics and other illustrations to make editorial pages more reader-friendly. More than a fourth said they expect increased use of interactive technology, online services, and e-mail for letters. And more than 10% predicted greater use of color. Certainly, the survey data support the contention that editorial page editors are joining the design revolution at daily newspapers. They want to make their benchmarks and forums as clear, forceful force·ful adj. Characterized by or full of force; effective: was persuaded by the forceful speaker to register to vote; enacted forceful measures to reduce drug abuse. , appealing, and useful to readers as possible. NCEW NCEW National Conference of Editorial Writers member Ernest C. Hynds is professor and head of the department of journalism in the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication The Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication is a college within the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens, Georgia, United States. Grady College is one of the oldest and most distinguished communication programs in the country. at the University of Georgia Organization The President of the University of Georgia (as of 2007, Michael F. Adams) is the head administrator and is appointed and overseen by the Georgia Board of Regents. . The 1995 study discussed was partially funded by the James M. Cox James Middleton Cox (March 31, 1870 – July 15, 1957) was a Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative from Ohio and Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the election of 1920. Cox was born in the tiny Butler County, Ohio village of Jacksonburg. Jr. Institute for Newspaper Management Studies at the college. |
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