Those of you who are Sunday-only readers are getting your first look at our new redesign.
Welcome. We hope you like it.
We’ve heard from a few readers since our launch on Tuesday, but the reaction has been fairly quiet. So far, comments are running about 2-to-1 favorable.
“I like the changes that began this week,” one reader wrote, adding he was “more interested in content than flash. It works for me.”
“Looks great; easy on the eye. No blaring headlines,” wrote another.
“I just finished reading the second edition of the Trib. with its new look, and had to write to compliment you and your staff,” from another. “Reading the whole paper, which had taken under 20 less-than-satisfying minutes, is now 45-60 minutes of engrossing reading. … This new paper is a joy. Interesting articles — local, regional, national and international … plus, follow-ups on previous stories, which we hadn’t been getting before. The News Tribune now knocks the socks off every paper in the Northwest!”
Admittedly, that was my favorite.
But with 200,000 or so readers to satisfy, what one considers an improvement, another considers an annoyance.
A handful of readers found the new design — which puts more stories on each page – too busy.
“This morning, … I received the paper and I tried to read it, only to get dizzy and frustrated by its ‘in your face … try and figure out what is what’ style,” one reader wrote.
The same reader wanted us to make the headlines stand out more, something we can consider as we fine-tune the design.
A few readers had difficulty finding items we moved from Page 2 — People in the News, Celebrity Birthdays, Movie Times and News of the Weird. They now reside on the back of the Sports section, above the Weather package. This Date in History will appear on that page as well, as space allows.
We should have done a better job explaining those moves.
We hope you like some of the new elements on Page A2, including the reader-submitted photos. (Hint, hint: Post your photo online at thenewstribune.com or email it to pix@thenewstribune.com.) Most of the redesign complaints were about things we didn’t change at all. Every time we make a change in the paper, some people believe we’ve shrunk the type. Ask any editor at any paper, and you’ll hear the same thing.
A couple of readers last week reported having to pull out a magnifying glass for the first time to read the stories.
The story font did not change. The type size did not change.
Our new design was characterized by some as “more vertical,” which may create an illusion of narrowness.
“Why did you go to such small, multiple columns?” one reader asked.
The columns are the same width, although we changed the type from justified to ragged right, which should make them easier to read. Each page has the same number of columns as before.
One caller said she could barely hold the paper any more since we made the pages longer.
We did not. The pages are the same size.
Another reader left this intriguing note on our redesign survey: “So yeah, i just do not like your “new & improved” look and if I had a million bucks, I wouldnt hesitate not one i’oudda giving it to you if you’d change it back! :) The key word is “change” and some of us dont like it … me included!! :(
A million bucks to change it back? Hmmmm.
Still another reader challenged our new drawing of Mount Rainier.
“A few days ago you referenced the 'Tacoma Skyline' when describing your new flag,” he wrote. “What showed up is certainly not the city's skyline.”
Our design director, David Montesino, worked months ago to find a vantage point that would put the Tacoma skyline in front of the mountain. At the top of this page is his photograph, taken from the end of a fishing pier on Ruston Way that served as the inspiration for our new nameplate.
If you have other questions or comments on the redesign, please send them my way.
Karen Peterson: 253-597-8434
karen.peterson@thenewstribune.com
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