US: Readers vote for a redesign of the redesign at Hartford Courant

Posted by Liz Webber on July 1, 2009 at 3:36 PM

After the Hartford Courant redesigned its format last September, the response to the front page's new look was extremely negative. The paper's decision to move the nameplate from a traditional, horizontal position to a vertical orientation displeased enough readers that management decided to do something about it.

An informal online poll asked readers to choose their preferred look for the Courant from among three options. The results overwhelmingly favored a horizontal nameplate, and the paper has since reverted to the more traditional format.

Readers also dismissed an option which would have made the front-page logo much more colorful, opting instead for classic muted tones.

The latest feedback confirms the survey's results, senior vice president and director of content Jeff Levine told Poynter's Sara Dickenson Quinn. Furthermore, the traditional orientation offers designers a great deal more freedom when placing stories on the front page.

Another new feature for the Courant's page one, dubbed "Quick Take," provides a meatier version of the newspaper at a glance. It consists of 10 article summaries of stories found inside the paper.

The preference for a traditional-looking paper without too much color is not unique to American readers. When the Evening Standard rolled out a colorful new format in May, some critics felt the paper's look was cheapened.

However, coming up with a modern look can help get newspapers out of a rut. Newspaper designer Jacek Utko recently offered as an example his own experiences with Eastern European newspapers, where circulation increased by 30 percent or more after successful redesigns.

In the case of the Courant, paying attention to what readers want has obviously paid off.

Source: Poynter