I was eager to understand more about The Guardian re-design to Berliner. The decisions towards the reader and designer. Big thanks to Sarah Habershon for getting back to me when she is constantly busy. Cheers.
Re-Design to Berliner
Was there anything that prompted the re-design to Berliner? Was this a decision made early on in the design process?
Mark Porter was, and still, is Creative Director of the Guardian and was in charge of the re-design. He spent some months working on a tabloid re-design. It was felt this didnt retain the authoritative feel of the Guardian. the berliner was a size that Alan Rusbridger really liked and had seen in Europe (examples of ??? ie it wasnt a newspaper called the berliner it was something else). A great solution as smaller than the broadsheet yet retined the 'seriousness' of a broadsheet. Allowed for a better grid (see how narrow the columns are in the tabloid size papers) and good use of photos.
What were the main considerations made during the design process, towards the reader?
EAsy navigation through the paper especially through things like labelling (see panels - a selection were invented like "backstory", FAQ etc so reader would come to recognise these points of information. Newspaper design is all about putting the information out there in a way which makes thingsa s easy as possible for the reader. Mark Leeds, one of Mark's right hand designers invented what we called a gizmo...based on something similar in one of the eurpoean papers its the small one-column quote/caption with a tiny photo next to it, or large number, you see within news stories. Helps break up copy and also gives information . and, like pullquotes is a point of access when flicking through pages.
Comment pages have 3 access points - the headline - the short standfrts and the pullquote. I was at one of marks talks once and an old guy said to him - I've read those 3 things - why would i bother to read the piece - mark replied - well weve saved you some time then! The point being you can choose to read that piece but if you don't have time right then you'll get a gist of what's going on
Were there any similar considerations towards the designer? For example, to aid the design process?
Yes, the design has to be easy to use by evreryone. Not just designers. Most of pages are laid out by layout subs some of who are good at layout, some who just think they are! You need a good style guide and rules that everyone can follow. eg how much space falls under a headline,under a standfirst etc every page is templated and you call up the relevent one. Each section has its own library items to pull on page... pull quotes, sidebars, standfirsts.
What would you consider as the main design features that help define the character of The Guardian?
the unique font (designed my Paul (ahh his name escapes me!!!) and Christian Schwartz) - called Guardian Egyptian. Spacing under hedalines and stanfirsts i think is very distinctive. Overall elegance and feels less cluttered than many papers. Use of photography.
In the degree studio environment, The Guardian is popular. Did the re-design aim to reach a wider market?
Of course - you aim for the widest audience you can. It appeals to designers but its not a case of form over function so should appeal to anyone. there is nothing weird or arty about it - just good clear presentation of information
Associated with editorial design within the newspaper environment.
I understand the role of the editorial designer is to be sympathetic and supportive of the copy, but how much of the design process is compromised within a newspaper environment?
Quite a bit in reality. daily battles with certain individuals who think they know better! Though many people are supportive of designers. Some editors don't seem to understand why an art director is a valuable asset. but thank fully many do. And at teh end of the day your editor is the boss, all you can do is presenst your case clearly.Most people, as i'm sure you know, have an opinion...its easy to comment on design. And ofetn we have to really battle for a picture/illo we think would be right. You're always up against time, but that can be quite a postive challenge I find.
How does this change across publications?
VAries according to editors- its down to individuals and how they see/view design and role designer
Online media is ever increasing. How do you foresee the printed newspaper, will it become threatened by the move to online?
Yes - this is what everyone is talking about all the time everywhere. Everyone making redundancies, slashing budgets. remember teh main thing is to get the news out there - print is just the medium. I'm a print person so i do worry about losing what i like to do. Newspapers will change over the coming years for sure. But the problem is howe to make money to support your news organisation and journalism .I do think newspapers will be around a while longer but propably in a different format perhaps more magazine like . BWe may cut print costs down but theres still distribution costs and good investigative journalism costs money. Anyway - theres loads of debate about all this everywhere you'll find. No-one really knows what will happen. I can't see how all the papers can keep going without eventually agreeing to charge for content