Narrower front page with extra gutter
Starting with Tuesday morning’s paper, The Gazette (the newspaper I work for, you’ll recall) has reduced its web width by exactly one inch in an effort to save costs. It may seem silly to think that such a small reduction in the size of each page would result in significant paper (and therefore money) economies, but apparently it does, which is why newspapers like the Globe and Mail have already done so.
The Gazette is reconfiguring its second press for the narrower page size, which means some sections will be printed on narrower pages while others will have larger gutters as the narrower content is centred on the wider page. The changeover is expected to be complete in two weeks.
There are no content changes coming with this new width, as editor-in-chief Andrew Phillips explains in a note to readers. The height of the pages is the same, the number of pages is the same, and what’s on them is the same.
But there are some layout changes. Among them:
- The width of text columns will narrow, making each article slightly shorter. This also means things like columnist photos will be a bit less wide.
- More pages will have a five-column layout instead of a six-column one.
- The gutter between columns shrinks slightly, from one pica to 10 points.
- Larger elements like headlines and photos will become a bit smaller. Some elements, like the web pointers on section fronts, have been redesigned to use space more efficiently.
- Fixed elements like comics and puzzles will shrink slightly.
- Every 17th vowel will be deleted form article text (we’re hoping you don’t notice that one).
One thing that’s not changing is the body type. It’s still 8.7-point Nimrod MT, exactly what it’s been since, like, the dawn of time, or at least as long as I’ve been there.
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So, is the newspaper crisis solved yet?
Surely you mean “webb width” and not “web” width… (unless I don’t see how having a narrower web page somehow saves paper…)
One “b”, but yes, it’s the size of the printed page, not the web page.
For the benefit of Jean Naimard
Web Press
Press that prints from rolls of paper, usually cutting it into sheets after printing.
Web Break
Split of the paper as it travels through a web press, causing operators to rethread the press.
You say that the body type is 8.7 point Nimrod MT
That is presumably the same as the Mongaz 8.7 point that Andrew mentions.
Actually Andrew gets it wrong there. MonGaz is the headline font. Nimrod is used just for the body type.
(I’ve always seen spelled “webb”)…
No changes my (“webbed”? ;-) foot!
Monday’s edition of the Gazette, at least the online version of it, was listing the Comics section in its page 1 index as being on page B10, but there was NO SUCH PAGE! B9 and B10 were non-existent, and the online version of the index did NOT in fact list the comics page at all.
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and the Gazoo is shrinking the colour Doonesbury to a completely unreadable size… aieee!
Normal-vision adults should not need a magnifying glass to read the comics.