A literature review of articles on newspaper design and

graphics appearing in Journalism quarterly and the

Newspaper research journal
Hartley, William A.
Date: 1990
Other Identifiers: LD2489.Z9 1990 .H378
CardCat URL: http://liblink.bsu.edu/catkey/721784
Type: Research paper (M.A.), 3 hrs.
Degree: Thesis (M.A.)
Department: Department of Journalism

Abstract:
More emphasis is being placed on newspaper design and graphics than ever before. Most American
newspapers have made changes in their appearance in hopes of attracting more readers and holding on
to the ones they already have. While research on publication design has been conducted for quite some
time, more research is being done as the importance of graphics to the survival of many newspapers
grows.Traditionally, emphasis has been placed on reporting the major stories of the day and getting them
first and right. And, traditionally, that has been enough to attract the readers that the newspaper industry
needs to survive. Means to increase declining readership and circulation have included anything from
increased local coverage to special promotions and discounts.Now, however, more attention is being paid
to newspaper design-more specifically, making the front page look good, to increase reader satisfaction
and circulation. Readers still want hard-hitting, responsible journalism, but they also want a product that is
appealing to the eye. According to Steve Pasternack and Sandra Utt in their study, Front Pages of U.S.
Daily Newspapers, "Newspapers have become increasingly concerned about how they look as well as
what they say." (Pasternack and Utt, 1984, p.279)With this increased awareness of what good newspaper
design can do for a newspaper, most American newspapers have made at least minor changes in their
appearance, while many others have undergone complete redesigns- adding digests, teasers,
infographics or other graphic devices. Editors are finding that graphics not only make a newspaper look
better, but they also make it easier to read.A 1984 survey of Society of Newspaper Design members,
which revealed that within the preceding year 22 percent had introduced the use of informational graphics
and 60 percent had increased graphics use at their newspapers, lends support to the idea of increased
emphasis on design. (Smith and Hajash, 1988, p.714)Mario Garcia, author of Contemporary Newspaper
Design, wrote, "To think graphically means to invite the reader into each page with attractive, provocative
and orderly use of photos, typography and illustrations." (Pasternack and Utt, 1984, p.880)As a rule,
newspapers have adopted a more graphically appealing format. A study by the Newspaper Advertising
Bureau found that newspapers are changing their typefaces, using more photographs and redesigning
their mastheads. In another study, it was found that 52 percent of the papers ran between six and 10
graphics daily, and three percent ran more than 20 graphics daily.Newspaper managers have even found
that design improvements in their newspapers can have a positive effect on circulation figures, making
newspaper design even more important.The Wabash (Ind.) Plain Dealer, involved in a circulation battle,

recently redesigned its front page, even placing a comic strip on page one. The Trenton (NJ) Times has
redesigned its product as part of an ongoing circulation battle. Another study by Utt and Pasternack
(1984) of selected newspapers from the Editor and Publisher Yearbook with an average circulation of
25,000 or more tried to characterize the design of the average American daily newspaper. But the most
important thing they found from the study was that editors were tremendously concerned with the
appearance of their newspapers, as 94.9 percent believed that a "good looking" paper could be a factor in
both competitive and noncompetitive situations.This paper is a compilation of all of the studies done on
newspaper design and graphics since 1980 and published in either Journalism Quarterly or the
Newspaper Research Journal, the two most notable journals publishing research done on the newspaper
industry. Newspaper design and graphics is defined as any article on photography, color, informational
graphics, and redesign, excluding research done on advertising design. The compilation covers a tenyear period from 1980 to 1990, a decade when newspaper design began to be emphasized by daily
newspapers. The studies are in chronological order according to the date published in the journal and
each contains a summary of the methodology, results and suggestions for future studies. The compilation
will be valuable to anyone interested in newspaper design since all of the studies will be in one location
for easy access.