The future of newspapers is found through design

The newspaper industry seems to be at a crossroads — either change with the times or disappear. Design can lead this monumental transformation, in fact, it’s already begun. Over the past century, newspaper design has gotten more eye-catching, more bold, more experimental, more dominant. Designers have realized that newspaper visuals must compete with more interactive media in an impatient culture. Our readers want the instant satisfaction that comes with television and the Internet in print form.

And, we can give it to them. We just have to think outside the box, or in designer lingo, we just have to think with more boxes, more pull-outs of information, more graphs, more lists, more charts. I like to call these things tiny morsels because they are easy for the brain to devour. We have to remember that newspapers aren’t all about text. The main goal is that of storytelling, and success in this field can be obtained in many creative ways. It’s a technique that author Tim Harrower calls “writing for the non-reader.” His book, The Newspaper Designer’s Handbook, is my Bible.

Whether the newspaper industry or the public realize it, design has always been and will continue to be one of a newspaper’s most important elements. Your mom told you from the beginning that first impressions are important. The better designed a newspaper is, the better first impression it leaves. People are drawn to graphic elements, not giant gray blocks of text.

During my travels abroad, I am always drawn to newspapers with delightfully executed design. The design in Europe is much different from that in the states. Color plays a much more important role and images have a much bigger impact. White space is utilized well and typography is much larger. European design adapts much faster than American design. I would go so far as to say that it’s cutting edge.

Today I picked up a copy of Die Zeit, one of the world’s best designed newspapers, according to the Society for News Design. I have a copy from my last trip to Europe four years ago. It now hangs over my bed in a collage as if to give me sweet creative dreams. As a journalist, and as a designer, it is very important to soak up the world around you — to gather inspiration from everything. The more newspapers I study, the better I become.

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