McPapers adopting McFonts

Despite promises that Gannett's daily newspapers will maintain their distinctive identities under the region design "studios," it has been announced that all newspapers will adopt the same five Monotype fonts before the end of the year.

Can Gannett reinvent the McPaper?

By JEREMY W. PETERS
Published: August 27, 2010

The history of USA Today is full of firsts for the newspaper business: the first general-interest national paper of its kind, the first to use color widely in charts and photographs and once first in the number of copies printed each day.

USA Today will offer more content in digital form, an effort to win a larger share of the tablet and mobile phone news market.

But lately the paper has lost its grip on the national media market. Its advertising revenue has collapsed. Its circulation has plunged — last year it forfeited its title as the nation’s most widely circulated newspaper on weekdays to The Wall Street Journal.

Faced with this dour reality, USA Today announced on Friday the most extensive reorganization in its 28-year history. The paper will eliminate about 130 jobs, or 9 percent of its work force, and shift its business model away from the print edition that has become ubiquitous in airports, hotels and newsstands across the country.

The paper’s focus will now be on its digital operations. It will emphasize breaking news on its Web site, aiming to post articles within 30 minutes of a breaking news event. It will create a stand-alone sports edition called USA Today Sports. And it will shift more of its resources toward making content more available in digital form, an effort to win a larger share of the tablet and mobile phone news market.

Read more at nytimes.com

Q&A reveals Gannett’s public reasoning for cutting the hearts out of its community newspapers

July 26th, 2010

By Jonathon Berlin

After Gannett recently announced plans to create five centralized centers to handle most of the design demands at its community newspapers, the Society for News Design responded with an open letter on the value of design. 

That letter is posted here.

Kate Marymont is the Vice President/News at Gannett’s community publishing division, and she took some time to respond to the letter and the following Q&A conducted by SND Secretary/Treasurer Jonathon Berlin to shed light on Gannett’s vision, not only for its hubs but also all aspects of its approach to visual journalism:

Read article at SND

This is what America gets instead of community newspapers

* Gannett/USA TODAY Headquarters, McLean, Virginia
* Owner:  Gannett Co., Inc. - Arlington, VA
* Architect:  Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates - New York, NY
* Interior Architect: Lehman-Smith + McLeish - Washington, DC
* Developer: Hines - Washington, DC

820,000 SF Corporate Headquarters including Base Building and Interior Improvements in McLean, Virginia.  Project includes two office towers extending above a common "podium" which contains food service, auditorium, conference center, healthworks and other corporate support facilities.  Scope included open and enclosed office space, newsroom spaces, production areas, and executive offices.

    * Gannett Tower:  12 Stories; USA TODAY Tower:  9 Stories.
    * 2,048 Parking Spaces In Structured And Grade Parking.
    * Atrium with Engineered Smoke Control System.
    * 4,000 SF Data Center Plus Additional IT Spaces Throughout Facility.
    * 2,400 Ton Chilled Water System.
    * Site Amenities Included Guard House, Softball Field, Volleyball Courts and Tennis Court.
    * Helistop (Per FAA Regulations).
    * 4 Megawatt Standby Generator System.
    * 750 KVA Redundant UPS Distribution System.