News of nation, world still there

By Scott Angus ( Contact )   October 24, 2007 - 10 a.m.

The vast majority of comments on the new paper have been positive.

Many people have been effusive in their praise. They like the paper's smaller size, the simplicity of two sections, the color pictures throughout the paper and the strong emphasis on local news. I'd say positive comments have outnumbered negative by 5 to 1 or more.

Most of the people who have voted thumbs down believe we've cut back on national and world coverage, and that news was among the key reasons they bought the newspaper. One e-mailer said, "I don't want a local newspaper" and said he'd probably go elsewhere to find his national and world news.

I've tried to counter their complaints by noting that we haven't cut back on our national and world coverage. We simply moved the space into the second section. If people don't like that perceived de-emphasis, I'm sorry, but it was a concession we needed to make to make room for more local news. But the stories are still there. In fact, on some days, we actually have more space now for national and world news. I've compared our wire news to the space devoted to national and world stories in several other good state papers with considerably higher circulations, and we still provide more space than they do.

I plan to write more about the reactions to the reinvented Gazette in my column for Sunday's paper.

reader COMMENTS (6)
JT_LIND
Oct 25, 2007 at 10:13 p.m.
Suggest removal

We really like the new look of the paper and how the web page is more user-friendly than before. Good job!

elencho
Oct 25, 2007 at 10:40 a.m.
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And in response to the reader who posted the question about the Hometown Hero photo, the story under the photo indicates that Lilburn and the others didn't want recognition for what they had done. That recognition most likely includes being photographed. Apologies for not including this with my previous comment!

elencho
Oct 25, 2007 at 10:22 a.m.
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I especially appreciate the new interface of the online paper. Much more user-friendly. I really like all the available reader options including the various blogs. It sure appears that a great deal of work went into all of these changes. Thanks to everyone there who contributed.

E. Lencho

wleong
Oct 25, 2007 at 10:10 a.m.
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Scott....
In Wednesday's October 24 edition, on page 2A, "Names In The News".....the photo under "Hometown Hero", I just didn't get. Could you please comment on the "cutline" and the relationship of it to the photo? (I don't see Jim Lilburn or 50 neighbors....)

jripley54
Oct 24, 2007 at 9:24 p.m.
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I have been a subscriber for over 15 years and I am not at all happy with the way the paper is being printed now. I am sure the font size didn't change, but it does look much smaller and my eyes are not as good as they use to be. Everything printed looks so much closer together on the printed page and it is hard to tell where one article starts and the other ends.
I wished you also didn't move the lottery information, in today's paper (10/24), it said page 12A, but it was not there and I had to get another pair of eyes to confirm it for me. Which I can't be calling the neighbors everytime I am trying to find something in the paper. I know it is suppose to be the state of the art in printing, but I think it is a step in the wrong direction. I don't care about pictures being in color, if I want pictures I will buy magazines.
My husband now refuses to even look at the paper. I am now rethinking about the status of my subscription and possibly cancelling it very soon.

Julie Ripley
N6324 Oak Court
Elkhorn, WI 53121
Home phone: 262-742-2049
Work phone M-F, 7 - 4:00: 262-724-3292 x 278

localmatters
Oct 24, 2007 at 10:55 a.m.
Suggest removal

Stay on path Scott. Change is always difficult, especially with something as sacred as a newspaper. Kudos.

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