Content drives design
A lot is being made on journalism sites about a look at the relationship between newspaper redesigns and circulation trends. The quick thought is that redesigning the package doesn't turn a downward trend upward.
Circulation, of course, is affected by all sorts of factors from news to price changes to population fluctuations (you can see the snowbird spikes in the Orlando numbers every spring), so there really aren't any firm conclusions you can draw about a redesign's effect from these numbers alone.
So true. When we planned our paper's redesign -- introduced in April -- we didn't expect to see circulation growth from that alone. The design makes navigating the paper easier. It makes the paper more attractive and compelling. But it doesn't disguise weak or dull content. It's the content that we must make relevant and indispensable. That's the challenge we face every day.
Comments (5)
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"It makes the paper more attractive and compelling."
Design can. I don't think the N&R's design does.
"But it doesn't disguise weak or dull content."
Absolutely. Or unchanging content.
Posted on November 6, 2006 1:35 PM
What don't you like about the paper's design, Sue?
Posted on November 6, 2006 1:42 PM
Sue - are you referring to the newspaper itself, or the N&R website? The paper's looking fairly nice, in my opinion. The website is an entirely different story.
Posted on November 6, 2006 4:22 PM
John,
Is there a charge for the complete online version?
Add more positive content!!!
I have a new post about arguing and blogging that I would like your opinion...of course...only if inclined. BLOGS, TROLLS, HITS & VISITS
http://meblogin.blogspot.com/
thanks,
ps...no...not the rest of you....go away...
Posted on November 6, 2006 8:10 PM
The problem is far from just assuming a redesign will magically restore circulation, although there are foolish people who believe this. They're called redesign consultants.
The real problem is newsrooms' obsession with clearing the hurdle of creating a Picasso For A Day. Too often, newsrooms focus on presentation without looking at what they are presenting.
Until far more emphasis is placed on improving content and far less emphasis is placed on how the newspaper looks, the big problems will continue.
Let us know when that change in philosophy happens. Until then, columns like this are just empty rhetoric.
Posted on November 28, 2006 3:03 AM