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December 06, 2006
Pay attention to The Wall Street Journal’s new format
On January 2, The Wall Street Journal will launch a new format for its flagship newspaper. If you communicate in print or online, pay attention to the important ways this esteemed publication is changing:
- The paper itself will be smaller—reduced from 15 to 12 inches wide. That makes it easier to handle and more portable.
- The look and format will change, from six columns to five, with more color and charts.
- Articles will be shorter, and the amount of news in the daily newspaper will be reduced by 10%.
- Although the Journal’s editors still want people to read the newspaper, there is greater emphasis on the connection between print and online. As described in an article in MediaPost, the paper’s redesign is part of a larger communications strategy, which takes into account how people want news today, access to all-the-time information: “Newspaper at home, BlackBerry during the commute, and online during the workday.”
- There will be more emphasis on analysis in the newspaper, while breaking news will be available on line. As Managing Editor Paul Steiger describes, while the current newspaper has about 50% news, 50% analysis, the new Wall Street Journal will focus 80% on “what it means, not what happened.”
The Journal is making these changes to keep its audiences’ interest, particularly two groups that have not been well-served by the current format: women and younger people.
Look for the new Journal in January, and think about how to apply these kinds of changes to make your communication channel more dynamic and audience-focused.
Posted by Alison Davis at December 6, 2006 10:32 AM
Comments
WSJ continues to evolve for the better. The most relevant point to me is the transition from a traditional daily newspaper to delivering different information through various relevant channels. Two big questions for internal communications:
- Will CEOs see the role of communication changing as from publication creators to a conduit to multi channels?
- Are communicators ready to embrace this role and do they have the tools, knowledge, budget and support to do it effectively?
Posted by: The Connectivity Guru at December 6, 2006 01:14 PM