Changing faces of U.S. newspapers - redesign of newspaper front pages

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Dec, 1994

Two-thirds of U.S. newspaper front pages have been redesigned in the past five years with larger photographs, splashes of color, and informational graphics that respond to a busy society that has little time for reading. According to a survey of newspaper graphics editors by New Mexico State University journalism professor Steve Pasternack, newspaper front pages today have fewer stories, shorter articles, and bigger--even huge--photographs.

For more than a decade, Pasternack and Sandra Utt of Memphis State University have documented what may be the greatest impact on U.S. newspapers in the century--the trend to transform black and white newsprint into something more visually appealing and entertaining. "Increasingly, readers have demanded that newspapers be as reader-friendly as possible," Utt notes.

Newspapers have responded to their markets with larger type for senior citizens, youth pages to appeal to younger readers, and shorter stories for busy readers. Graphic elements attract people who have shorter attention spans and might watch television instead of reading.

According to the 1993 survey of newspaper graphics editors, 94% say front page appearance is critical. "There is less patterning of important stories," Pasternack points out. "It used to be that you could always count on the lead story going in the upper right and the lead photo in the upper left. Today, it may be anywhere."

Technology, which has become cheaper in recent years, can take credit for much of the changing face of newspapers. The number of graphics editors with Macintosh computers jumped from fewer than 80% in 1988 to 96% in 1993. Today, 67% of newspapers have a computerized page makeup system.

"It used to be that newspaper editors would gather their stories and find a place to stick them on the page," Pasternack indicates. "Today, newspaper design is an art form."