Yep, the Echo is having a makeover.
We're not reinventing the wheel but you'll be amazed how much discussion and pulling of hair goes on behind the scenes when we're coming up with a new look.
WOBs, gutters, anchors, indents... I won't bore you with the technical details, but suffice to say it's been a big job. Some readers will like it, some will hate it. Though being honest most won't care!
You buy a paper for what's in it, not what it looks like, surely?
Design is a much discussed topic at any newspaper. What works, what makes the reader experience vertigo. Every so often we have some design guru arrive at the Echo to tell us how we should be doing it. They always seem to say we should plaster huge photos everywhere. Not easy when you have to pack in up to 15 stories on page 18!
I shouldn't dismiss all this. Lots of clever people have spent lots of time working it all out. The gurus have been to university to do design. They know far more about it than I will ever do.
But if you're ever in the Wolverhampton area pick up the monster that is the Express and Star. It breaks every rule of design. In fact, it laughs in its face. From a semi-trained eye it looks all over the shop. Stories seem to be thrown on the page.
It is also very successful. Everything little thing is poured into the paper. They get as much news into each issue as is humanly possible. Nothing is left out.
A newspaper isn't a glossy holiday brochure. I always try to remember this when I enviously look at another rag with all the bells and whistles. Design is important, bit the stories are vital.
I think everyone here is pleased with how the Echo will look (even though my 'great' idea of ditching headlines for news in briefs was given a big thumbs-down!). But there will be a huge collective intake of breath on Thursday morning when the paper comes out. What will the readers think?
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