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 Post subject: But why?
PostPosted: Mon Sep 15, 2003 5:53 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2002 1:01 am
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Location: Bethesda, Md.
You know your "redesign" is in trouble from the get-go if you have to run a full page map, explaining how to read the newspaper.


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:37 am 
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Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 37
Location: Colorado
<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by blanp:
You know your "redesign" is in trouble from the get-go if you have to run a full page map, explaining how to read the newspaper.<hr></blockquote><p>In Phoenix, back when one of blanp's favorite people was ME and I was on the redesign task force, there was an entire special section devoted to explaining the redesign. That section was, of course, designed by the marketing department.<p>[ September 16, 2003: Message edited by: Zoe Friloux ]</p>


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 2:49 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 1775
Location: Baltimore
Yeah, I thought "Marketing Department" as soon as I saw the redesign "road map," which is not to be confused with the "road map" to peace in the Middle East, i suppose.<p>A paper in my past did a major redesign. I left town for several days the morning before the "launch." The first edition I saw upon getting back differed only slightly from the old design. Turns out the publisher had returned from three months in Europe just in time to see and hate the new design before its "launch." <p>An op-ed column written in-house had promised readers a column in which to comment on the redesign. While desperately turning the newsroom upside down while slotting on a Sunday I came across a pile of comments intended for that column. Almost all of the letters were strongly anti-redesign. As a copy editor and designer, I agreed with many of the readers. That column never appeared; a few of the cancelled design changes eventually crept onto the pages in muted form.<p>For better and worse, newspaper readers tend to be creatures of habit. They hate change for the sake of change, which some redesigns are, and often they fail to see reasoning for intelligent changes. So, we get columns and "road maps" that readers might reasonably see as insulting.


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:49 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2002 1:01 am
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Location: Cusp of retirement, grave or both
Am I reading it wrong, or does this...um...map refer to what we commonly call promos as the "Nav Bar?"<p>I guess this is a good idea for people who think the Internet preceded the printing press.


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 11:39 pm 
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Location: Bethesda, Md.
It would be inaccurate to describe the process undertaken at the Herald for the past year as a mere "redesign." The term redesign implies purely cosmetic exercises, where typography or colors are changed, but nothing more.<p>The Miami Herald that readers saw beginning September 15 definitely has a new and distinctive look. However, what is important is how the newspaper has been evaluated in terms of its content, navigation and opportunities to offer more service to the readers. (Mario Garcia, at Poynter, of course.<p>***Oh, shut up.***<p>[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]<p>[ September 25, 2003: Message edited by: blanp ]</p>


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 11:43 pm 
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Location: Bethesda, Md.
Among the issues Garcia was asked to consider in remaking one of Knight-Ridder's biggest newspapers:<p> * Cater to the reader in a hurry
* Content in the age of speculation
* The influence of the Internet
* The importance of good navigation
* Service, service, service
<p>***How about "news, news, news"?***


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:45 am 
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
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Location: Gautier, Miss.
More from Poynter and Garcia:<p>"I'm going to show you all the stuff that was thrown out and not used," Garcia announced. "It hurts to look at some of this that was not used, but you have to deal with editors, you know." <p>***I take it this was supposed to be funny. It wasn't.***


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 Post subject: Re: But why?
PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2003 9:17 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 316
Location: Albany, NY
And how you do make up a paper to deal with "content in the age of speculation"?


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