Along with a name change, more alternative story formats were implemented. Publisher Tim Petrowich answered a few questions about the redesign. Scroll down to see more pages. What prompted the decision to redesign your newspaper? We wanted to change the name of our paper from Marion Daily Republican to Daily Republican in an effort to embrace the entire county and the surrounding communities. We felt like the other communities would be more willing to take ownership of the paper if the name Marion wasn't included in the nameplate. Along with that, we wanted to redesign our paper to incorporate easier ways to get more coverage by using alternative story formats, etc. What were some of the challenges involved? Like many small papers, we are challenged with a small editorial staff. That is why it was so important to learn how to use the alternative story formats, which makes it easier to provide more information in a more efficient manner. How have readers and advertisers responded to the changes? The readers that have commented to us about the changes have given us positive comments. Readers feel it is easier to read and that the paper has more information, which is what they want. Advertising is hard to guage, because we were in the midst of a "HUGE" advertising slump that has finally started to correct itself. I think the economic pressures involved with that slump have made it impossible to tell the effect of the redesign on advertising. If you had to do it again, what would you do differently? We would do a better job of promotion. Media companies are their own worst allies when it comes to promoting their products. We have a TMC product that can be used to promote our paid publication, and we need to use that as well as rack cards and other methods to promote the fact that we are doing something "bigger and better." If we don't brag on ourselves, nobody else will. Joe Greco is corporate design director for GateHouse Media. .jpg)
Send questions, comments and ideas for blog topics to jgreco@gatehousemedia.com.
.jpg)
Along with a name change, more alternative story formats were implemented. Publisher Tim Petrowich answered a few questions about the redesign. Scroll down to see more pages. What prompted the decision to redesign your newspaper? We wanted to change the name of our paper from Marion Daily Republican to Daily Republican in an effort to embrace the entire county and the surrounding communities. We felt like the other communities would be more willing to take ownership of the paper if the name Marion wasn't included in the nameplate. Along with that, we wanted to redesign our paper to incorporate easier ways to get more coverage by using alternative story formats, etc. What were some of the challenges involved? Like many small papers, we are challenged with a small editorial staff. That is why it was so important to learn how to use the alternative story formats, which makes it easier to provide more information in a more efficient manner. How have readers and advertisers responded to the changes? The readers that have commented to us about the changes have given us positive comments. Readers feel it is easier to read and that the paper has more information, which is what they want. Advertising is hard to guage, because we were in the midst of a "HUGE" advertising slump that has finally started to correct itself. I think the economic pressures involved with that slump have made it impossible to tell the effect of the redesign on advertising. If you had to do it again, what would you do differently? We would do a better job of promotion. Media companies are their own worst allies when it comes to promoting their products. We have a TMC product that can be used to promote our paid publication, and we need to use that as well as rack cards and other methods to promote the fact that we are doing something "bigger and better." If we don't brag on ourselves, nobody else will. Joe Greco is corporate design director for GateHouse Media.
Send questions, comments and ideas for blog topics to jgreco@gatehousemedia.com.
