Local Newspaper Design Analysis

Since we are now studying design principles in class, I decided that I would also review newspaper design for my post. I have chosen to look at the front page of the Rockdale Citizen, my hometown paper, not only to see what it can improve upon but also because I intend (fingers crossed) to get an internship with this paper this summer.

I have never really considered this paper to be "great" journalism, but it definitely serves its purpose of informing the public. Today's front page, while somewhat typical for this paper, looks very boring and plain. Very little color has been included on this page. As a matter of fact, the only things that are in color - aside from the two pictures - are the things that are usually in color in every edition of this paper, such as the blue line separating the flag from the rest of the information and the weather and index bars at the bottom of the page. I believe that incorporating more color would make this page look more interesting and authoritative instead of plain and boring.

Also, I like the ad for the G-20 story above the flag which - even though it doesn't contain that much color - is attention getting because it features Obama. I feel as though if there were more good pictures to accompany something like this, the front page would look more interesting and coherent.

The mug shot of Gregory Brown on the side is a little blurry, and the colored background complicates the picture. Maybe they didn't have a better picture of him for this article, but I would have liked to see something a little more professional.

Also, I kind of have a problem with the main picture on the front of the paper. First of all, the picture is not interesting, and second of all, the picture has nothing to do with any of the stories on the front. It is it's own story and not a very long or detailed one at that. I'm not sure if this kind of think is normal, but I think that at least a story should have accompanied it, especially if it is important enough to put on the front page. They also could have taken a more interesting picture where the person in it is actually doing something.

That being said, the fact box for the bottom story "Job program garners federal funding" is very helpful and I think a good tactic for both design and readability. It's not necessarily a design principle, but it is very useful and adds another dynamic to the page.

The front page, I believe, demonstrates many good design principles. However, I believe that it needs just a little more, such as more color and better pictures, in order to bring their paper up to the next level and make it more inviting and authoritative.

This local paper from Cedar Rapids, IA called the Gazette does a good job at incorporating these principles and making the paper interesting to look at.