Newspaper Circulation - Creatives can help?

[Colin Gilchrist]

I have a bee in my bonnet about the future of Newspapers after Rupert Murdochs comment about Google stealing copyright - he is clearly right to be nervous but not at the expense of Google - because the traffic it generates to his sites - he should be paying for it not viewing it as the enemy.

Jacek Utko is an extraordinary Polish newspaper designer whose redesigns for newspapers in Eastern Europe has increased circulation by up to 100% (and won awards).

Can good design save the newspaper? It is an interesting argument that has worked - but for how long - or do the papers need to start employing poster designers?

Jacek presented at TED to explain and prove that design will improve newspaper circulation - take 6 minutes to view:

[brian pelan]

I have worked in newspapers for more than 20 years and have been involved in the sub editing and design of a variety of both regional and national titles. My experience has taught me that content is key followed by design - not the other way around. It also helps if you are a newspaper designer to be keep abreast of current affairs. I have also viewed many beautiful and creative websites that actually give you very little information. We also can't talk about falling newspaper circulation without looking at who owns our newspapers and what have they done with the profits they made for years.

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Brian,
That's just the argument - the content is being read by fewer and fewer people because the content is dated and can be accessed free of charge elsewhere and the design is also dated (unapealing) - we need to make the content read by more people by making more people pick it up - I am challenging your role to think about design in a new way.

[brian pelan]

A interestering argument for the role of the designer in helping newspaper circulation. Although I am a newspaper designer myself, I would be concerned about style and presentation taking over from content.

[Colin Gilchrist]

The legend that is Neville Brody - of course. Are the UK papers looking at creative talent to lift circulation? If not, why not. Should we as creatives offer to put newspaper designers out to pasture... Or take them under our wing. Ok News International, Johnston Press the gauntlet has been dropped are you listening?

[Stuart Cosgrove]

I think there is no question that design can be a driver of sales in a declining market, Colin. Remember Neville Brody's bold re-designs of The Face, the major makeover of the Guardian and the so called Berliner style. I hadn't heard of Jacek Utko but his website is very good and captures a really bold, vivid style that makes our newstands look dull and pedestrian by comparison. It's at the url : http://www.utko.com/