Beginning July 1, you will see some changes in your Mount Vernon News. Some of the changes are due to economic issues, some due to layout and design issues. Other changes are simply to bring a fresh, contemporary look to your hometown newspaper.
The first thing you will notice when you begin reading the July 1 edition is a new look to the front page. We’ve freshened the page with a new masthead, and added a few design elements. At the top of the page we’ve added some graphics, enabling our readers to get a quick peak at some of the inside stories.
In addition to the story graphics at the top, we’ve changed how we preview the weather. Through a weather graphic, readers will be able to tell at a glance whether they will need sun protection or an umbrella for the day. The full weather map will continue to appear on Page 2A.
A few other changes on Page 2A include the lottery results appearing under the For the Record section, and the publishers box being moved from the opinion page to Page 2.
The masthead on Page 1 of our sports section will also change, so as to remain consistent with the fresh look of the front page. Page 2 of our sports section will contain the same information as before, but in a more readable format. When school is in session, daily game schedules will run down the left column. The What’s Happening feature, which includes information about league sign-ups, tournaments and athletic camps, will run down the right column.
A new feature on Page 2B is called Tuning In. This will highlight games being broadcast on TV each night, giving our readers the information they need in a quick and easy-to-read format.
The width of the paper will also change. For many years, we stayed with the 27 1/2-inch width while other newspapers changed to a 25-inch width. Many of those newspapers have since gone to a 21- or 22-inch width.
As a cost containment measure, we made the decision to change to a 25-inch width. We will still use a six-column format, and the type size will not change.
At the News, we strive to bring our readers accurate and timely information about their local communities. Our dedication to that goal hasn’t changed. In fact, in these challenging and uncertain times, we realize it’s more important than ever to provide information about issues that hit close to home, whether it be government, schools, sports or entertainment.
One change that has already been made is the look of our monthly entertainment magazine, Radius. It now is in the larger tab format rather than the smaller signature tab size. Changing to the larger format allows us to complete the whole process in our facility. Radius will still continue to have stories about places to visit and things to do, so look for the July issue of Radius in Friday’s edition of the News.
Over the next several days we will let our readers know of other changes in the Mount Vernon News. We encourage you to let us know what you think of the changes. We are excited about them; we are confident our readers will be, too.
Editor Cheryl Splain can be reached at 397-5333, ext. 248; e-mail at ; fax 397-1321; or via mail, P.O. Box 791, Mount Vernon, OH 43050. Managing editor Samantha Scoles can be reached at 397-5333, ext. 253; e-mail at ; or via fax or regular mail.
