On April 6 (cover story left, click to view full-size), The Sunday Times in Singapore unveiled its redesign, self-described as "snazzy, stylish, modern," by its sister daily title The Straits Times.

Sunday Times editor Sumiko Tan commented on the redesign through email:

"The last redesign of The Sunday Times was in September 2003. It was a major one which saw the introduction of a Page 1 poster, a more leisurely lifestyle slant in the main section, and the introduction of quirky names like Think, Talk, Taste, Pulse."

The paper now features more hard news, in-depth features and expanded 'Invest' and 'Sport' sections, "while still retaining a Sunday, leisurely feel to the product."

Other changes in content include, according to Tan:

- More stories on Page 1 thanks to a more flexible Page 1 design.
- Getting rid of the giant poster blurb and introducing blurbs which occupy a smaller space.
-  Introducing Special Reports in the news pages, which are investigative pieces on topical issues.

The graphic redesign was based on these guiding principles (April 6 inside story right):

- Simplify and streamline. This means one font family to ensure harmony; one color for each section with uniform washes; standardizing of elements across sections; eliminating fussy details like dashes in quote attribution.
- More movement and interactivity in inside pages with graphics, etchouts for secondary pictures."

The paper polled about 150 people to receive their feedback on the paper, which has been reportedly positive, including comments such as "Magazine-styled blurbs on the front page makes it very easy for people to access the stories they want." View other reactions by clicking the link below, and please send us your thoughts.

Source: SFN Blog - Asia Media

Compare to the old design by clicking the thumbnails below (from last year):