More newspaper typography

A basic design decision for a newspaper is whether the paper should be tabloid or broadsheet. The broadsheet usually has a six-column format but five-columns are popular too. Many major newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Oregonian are all broadsheet. Tabloids are half the size of broadsheets and are usually divided into five or four columns. A tabloid is closer in size to a magazine and has elements of magazine design, such as huge photos and headlines. Some examples of tabloid newspapers include the Philadelphia Daily News, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Rocky Mountain News.

The most important part of the paper is the top half of the front page, which is above the fold. That is the part that is seen in newspaper boxes and many times is the deciding factor as to whether or not a person will buy the paper. The designer has to deal with multiple design elements: the flag, which is the name of the paper, the headlines, the art (photos, graphics, illustrations) and the text. Consistency of typographic elements like captions, decks, and headlines, is very important to the overall design of the newspaper. Many newspapers set up a certain style guide for the newspaper designer to follow. This would include the sizes and styles of headlines spanning various numbers of columns. For instance, a headline spanning three columns may run two lines deep and be set in 36 point, depending on where it is on the page. Less important stories will be shorter and have smaller typefaces. A basic rule is to stay away from having “butting heads,” when two headlines run into each other. Some piece of art should separate headlines on the same horizontal line (Labuz 107). The designer should also be aware of the poor print quality of newspapers. Halftones should be 85-dot screens, and illustrations should have bold lines.