Posted on 12/03/2006 11:41:40 AM PST by george76
The Wall Street Journal, whose wide pages and text-rich look have long been an icon of the American newspaper business, is about to undergo several changes that include cutting three inches off its width.
Along with the size reduction, which is equivalent to about one of its columns, the newspaper will add more color and graphical elements, including greater use of photographs.
It also will have fewer stories "jump" inside the newspaper.
The changes, which take effect Jan. 2, were to be unveiled at a press conference in New York on Monday. Robert Christie, a spokesman for Dow Jones & Co., which publishes the Journal, described several of the features generally but declined to provide fuller details ahead of the announcement.
Other major newspapers have also cut their width in recent years as a way to save money, including The Washington Post, Tribune Co.'s Los Angeles Times and Gannett Co.'s USA Today.
The New York Times is planning to reduce its width in 2008.
Dow Jones says reducing the Journal's width will save about $18 million a year. It will bring the newspaper in line with a widely used industry standard, allowing the newspaper to be printed in far more places than it is currently.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.myway.com ...
"As long as they don't compromise their journalistic integrity..."
.
You must be referring solely to the editorial page
They've made room for some rather non-traditional material and viewpoint over the years, though they clearly hold the line on the traditional as well.
I guess it's one very visible manifestation of the change sweeping all of finance, as well as journalism.
At least the Christmas tree still goes up in front of the New York Stock Exchange...
ML/NJ (35+ yr subscriber)
Just what the world needs: a PlaySkool WSJ.
Good grief.
Personally, I have always found the WSJ to be a little cumbersome to read in tight places (like public transportation, at the lunch table, etc.) so, for me, the slightly narrower format is a plus, as is not breaking stories as much so one doesn't have to shuffle through the paper to read an entire story.
I have to assume that using a more standard paper format, like any standardization, will lead to lower costs. What DJ/WSJ will do with that cost savings is debatable, but its, IMHO, a wise move.
All that said, if there was a print version of the WSJ that only incuded the editorial page, I'd probably subscribe again. The rest of the paper is best used for kindling, birdcage liner, and drop cloths, in comparison to the editorial pages, IMHO.
Discerning patrons may also purchase premium paper available in luxurious stock certificate form. LOL.
the newspaper will add more color ...
The St Petersburg Times just changed it's format and also cut the width of the paper. The Tampa Tribune cut it's width a couple of years ago.
Do they also lose a column ?
Well, the WSJ will still have plenty of space for their open-borders,
amensty-all-the-illegals-forever stances.
But I suspect they won't be getting my parents to renew the subscription
they let lapse this year.
Just don't cut the Editorial page... Al Hunt infected the news section with his hiring practices, so the news pages aren't much better than the NY Times. But the Editorial Board still is the best in the business. JMHO.
That is one of the best features about the WSJ. Scan the front page, find the half dozen topics of interest, then drill down to the article.
All the other crap in the last half dozen years is a waste of paper and makes it a pain to get to anything of business importance.
It's a shame Vermont Royst dies a few years ago. He was the best.
It's a shame Vermont Royster died a few years ago. He was the best.
Now that's a name out of the past. I didn't realize he lived until 1996. Great thinker and writer. Really set the tone for the Journal's Editorial Page for all the years to come.
LOL!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.