Comments on: A Critique of the DMN Redesign http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/ FrontBurner® has been called the best blog in Dallas (repeatedly), a snarky celebration of ignorance, and a daily conversation about Dallas among the editors of D Magazine. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:58:35 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rob Schneider http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-25569 Rob Schneider Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:11:16 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-25569 This redesign was done completely by traditional newspaper designers in the building. There weren't any fonts added, in fact there were many fonts that were taken away. The body type got larger. We added spacing. We added labels. We put lines in between stories. We did everything we could to make our product easier to read for the people that spend time with us every day. The colors were updated and used more prominently in the flags and I understand that's not going to be loved by everyone. If we were going for "design credibility", it was from the people who read us daily, and we've heard a great deal of positive comments from them- at a ratio of about 3 positive for every negative comment. You're of course entitled to your opinion about smoke and mirrors, but there's plenty of substance in the changes we've made. The size of the paper is smaller and that certainly saves money, but the other changes were ones readers have been asking us to make and ones that we feel make the paper better. We weren't going for the latest. We're simply trying to make the product better. I appreciate the criticism and discussion here and other places, but I wanted to address assertions that simply weren't true. Rob Schneider Presentation Director The Dallas Morning News rschneider@dallasnews.com This redesign was done completely by traditional newspaper designers in the building. There weren’t any fonts added, in fact there were many fonts that were taken away. The body type got larger. We added spacing. We added labels. We put lines in between stories. We did everything we could to make our product easier to read for the people that spend time with us every day.

The colors were updated and used more prominently in the flags and I understand that’s not going to be loved by everyone. If we were going for “design credibility”, it was from the people who read us daily, and we’ve heard a great deal of positive comments from them- at a ratio of about 3 positive for every negative comment. You’re of course entitled to your opinion about smoke and mirrors, but there’s plenty of substance in the changes we’ve made.

The size of the paper is smaller and that certainly saves money, but the other changes were ones readers have been asking us to make and ones that we feel make the paper better.

We weren’t going for the latest. We’re simply trying to make the product better. I appreciate the criticism and discussion here and other places, but I wanted to address assertions that simply weren’t true.

Rob Schneider
Presentation Director
The Dallas Morning News
rschneider@dallasnews.com

]]> By: PSanderson http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-25393 PSanderson Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:53:05 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-25393 As a former newspaper designer who wisely got out a few years ago and found greener pastures, it looks to me like this redesign wasn't done with traditional newspaper designers and input from news and ad teams. The marketing team lead this project. The only news design here is, well, there isn't. It's all marketing dictated by latest colors, latest typography, latest design. The latest comes and goes quickly. They've already dated the design and probably their future. No design credibility here, just smoke and mirrors to save money. As a former newspaper designer who wisely got out a few years ago and found greener pastures, it looks to me like this redesign wasn’t done with traditional newspaper designers and input from news and ad teams.

The marketing team lead this project. The only news design here is, well, there isn’t. It’s all marketing dictated by latest colors, latest typography, latest design. The latest comes and goes quickly. They’ve already dated the design and probably their future.

No design credibility here, just smoke and mirrors to save money.

]]> By: Bethany http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-22039 Bethany Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:13:07 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-22039 Everybody is going to shrink or has already. Newsprint costs went up, so nearly everything printed on it has gone to the smaller size. Everybody is going to shrink or has already. Newsprint costs went up, so nearly everything printed on it has gone to the smaller size.

]]> By: jd http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-22035 jd Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:09:46 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-22035 No they didn't. AlDia and Quick's paper size shrunk too. And if you looked closely, you'd notice the Star Tele did too when they redesigned last year. No they didn’t. AlDia and Quick’s paper size shrunk too. And if you looked closely, you’d notice the Star Tele did too when they redesigned last year.

]]> By: Huh http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-22008 Huh Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:05:58 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-22008 At least they kept AlDia and Quick the same size. Those are the important publications anyway. At least they kept AlDia and Quick the same size. Those are the important publications anyway.

]]> By: nmlhats http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-21998 nmlhats Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:11:31 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-21998 It’s just about like buying the “new and improved” version of a cleaning product or a paper product at the grocery store—the clever new packaging tries to conceal the fact that you are now getting fewer ounces or fewer sheets, i.e. less for your money. The recent “improvements” to the Morning News—page size, font size, bright shiny colors, etc—amount to only one thing: less news. The layoffs over the past few years, resulting in less content and its using more syndicated stories instead of its own reporters, have diminished its product and DMN has repeatedly changed the appearance of the paper to compensate. In the news business, providing less content is rarely (if ever) a good thing, and only made worse by disingenuous attempts to disguise it as “improving” the paper for the reader. It’s just about like buying the “new and improved” version of a cleaning product or a paper product at the grocery store—the clever new packaging tries to conceal the fact that you are now getting fewer ounces or fewer sheets, i.e. less for your money. The recent “improvements” to the Morning News—page size, font size, bright shiny colors, etc—amount to only one thing: less news. The layoffs over the past few years, resulting in less content and its using more syndicated stories instead of its own reporters, have diminished its product and DMN has repeatedly changed the appearance of the paper to compensate. In the news business, providing less content is rarely (if ever) a good thing, and only made worse by disingenuous attempts to disguise it as “improving” the paper for the reader.

]]> By: Emilio Velasquez, Jr. http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-21980 Emilio Velasquez, Jr. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:58:33 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-21980 Sam R, you are far too cruel! The new format now provides the journalistic space for the Quick's Lesley Téllez to interview the F!Dluxe's David Ninh about how to prepare for a fashion show! Can our own searing local version of the Pentagon Papers not now be far behind? Emilio Sam R, you are far too cruel!

The new format now provides the journalistic space for the Quick’s Lesley Téllez to interview the F!Dluxe’s David Ninh about how to prepare for a fashion show!

Can our own searing local version of the Pentagon Papers not now be far behind?

Emilio

]]> By: Sam R http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-21970 Sam R Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:37:37 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-21970 Newspapers are not "bleeding." Their formerly robust margins (30%-ish) are now a healthy 15-20%. More than ever, the papers are at the mercy of their fickle institutional shareholders. So how do they try to drive margins and readers? "Hey, let's subtract content and maintain a crappy web site." Yeah, that's the ticket. Newspapers are not “bleeding.” Their formerly robust margins (30%-ish) are now a healthy 15-20%. More than ever, the papers are at the mercy of their fickle institutional shareholders.

So how do they try to drive margins and readers? “Hey, let’s subtract content and maintain a crappy web site.”

Yeah, that’s the ticket.

]]> By: Austin http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-21969 Austin Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:16:14 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-21969 Newspapers are bleeding. This isn't a surprising move to save money. At first, I thought the redesign was a superficial, 'look-at-me' approach to distract readers from the shrinkage. But a lot of the changes satisfy me (after repeated viewings.) Stories that interest me are easier to find. Ambiguous headlines annoy the crap out of me. Although the paper is smaller, it doesn't mean less news, like some say. Alot of earlier articles ramble on like a "News Topics for Dummies" book. I've noticed that some (not all) stories eliminate the fluff and get right to the point. I don't love the Dallas News, but I'm going to give them a few months to see if it's worth the subscription. A- Newspapers are bleeding. This isn’t a surprising move to save money.

At first, I thought the redesign was a superficial, ‘look-at-me’ approach to distract readers from the shrinkage. But a lot of the changes satisfy me (after repeated viewings.)

Stories that interest me are easier to find. Ambiguous headlines annoy the crap out of me.

Although the paper is smaller, it doesn’t mean less news, like some say. Alot of earlier articles ramble on like a “News Topics for Dummies” book. I’ve noticed that some (not all) stories eliminate the fluff and get right to the point.

I don’t love the Dallas News, but I’m going to give them a few months to see if it’s worth the subscription.

A-

]]> By: Buck http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/comment-page-1/#comment-21943 Buck Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:48:38 +0000 http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2008/03/25/a-critique-of-the-dmn-redesign/#comment-21943 so how does the print S-T compare? so how does the print S-T compare?

]]>