Newspaper Design 3
European Newspaper AWARD 2001 N E W S P A P E R D E S I G N
Norbert KĂźpper The Results of the Third European Newspaper Award
The Competition
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DiĂĄrio de NotĂcias
11
Trouw
17
Independent on Sunday
19
Special Recognition
25
Front Pages
31
Sectional Front Pages
43
Inside Pages
55
Photography
67
Atmosphere
69
Photographic Cut
75
Visualization
81
Photo Reportage
85
Infographics
93
Illustration
105
Typography
113
Supplements
121
Special Pages
143
Portfolio
159
The Innovators
167
The Winners
173
List of Addresses
175
Imprint
179
Bookorder
181
European Newspaper AWARD 2001 N E W S PA P E R D E S I G N
The Competition A complete success: 185 newspapers from 21 countries participated in the third European Newspaper Award for exemplary newspaper design. Invitations were sent to 1,600 publishing houses. THE TARGETS. The European Newspaper Award aims at improving the exchange of information about newspaper design within Europe and the contribution of new and creative solutions. THE ORGANIZERS. The organizers are the three journalists’ magazines Medium Magazin (Germany), De Journalist (the Netherlands) and Österreichischer Journalist (Austria). The presentation of the awards takes place in the Coronation Hall in the City Hall of Aachen. The organizers are jointly supported by the city of Aachen, the publishing house of the Aachener Nachrichten and the International Newspaper Museum of Aachen. Norbert Küpper, who developed the idea of the competition, is in charge of the organization. THE PARTICIPANTS. More than 1,600 publishing houses in Europe had been addressed to and 185 newspapers responded. In addition to this, the market is steadily being observed by different newspaper experts, designers and journalists. THE AWARDS. The jury was well aware of the fact that national newspapers have larger budgets than small local papers. In order to take these different financial budgets into consideration, the award “Europe’s Best Designed Newspaper” is divided into the categories local paper, regional paper, national paper, and weeklies. ”Awards of Excellence“ are given according to different categories such as front pages, inside pages, supplements, special pages, infographics, etc.
THE CRITERIA. Only the design is put to the test, not the quality of the texts. The jury, however, keeps a watchful eye on the compatibility between pictures and articles. The standard of the design of the sent-in papers had to be clearly above the normal. Therefore, it was not enough to make a neatly designed newspaper, which quite a number of papers try to achieve. A high standard in the use of visuals, including photographic cuts, the size of photos and variation of formats is required. Uniform sizes and formats and lack of care with photographic cuts are sure to make a negative impression on the jury. The layout has to be of professional quality. Block make-up and an unmistakable connection between text and picture have to be guaranteed. The layout of the pages should neither be too uniform nor too variable. If it is too uniform, it will be boring; if it is too variable, it might appear chaotic. The winners have found the golden mean: a systematic use of fixed elements of design for the entire newspaper. Typographic elements have to be strictly used on all pages. The chief prizewinners are unconventional, distinctive and innovative in the widest sense in the use of their creative means.
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The Trends The main trend: Especially the inside pages of sport sections are provided with large well-cut pictures. This trend could serve as a model for other sections.
FRONT PAGES. Europe’s front pages have developed a more versatile and relaxed appearance. Apart from their classical function as visual display of inside pages, front pages are often used for the presentation of a single topic. In most cases, a large, well-cut photo serves this purpose. Especially weeklies make ample use of photography: some front pages only consist of a large photo, a headline and a teaser. The trend is clear: the readers’ attention should be attracted by a single topic and not by a confusing mass of news. INSIDE PAGES. This year, the contributions to this category concentrated on sport sections – and successfully so, for the use of photos, including cuts, formats, atmosphere and perspectives, is outstanding in quite a number of papers. Sport sections could be regarded as models for many other sections and help to improve photographic layout. The structuring of information on inside pages in small portions is still trendy – above all with complex political topics or news on accidents and catastrophes.
TYPOGRAPHY. Also here, versatility still rates highly. In Scandinavia, for example, more and more newspapers employ typeface designers to create individual typefaces for their headlines. In this way, newspapers are promoted as brandname articles with typefaces restricted to one and the same paper. For bodycopy national differences can be observed: In British newspapers the bodycopy is rather small. PHOTOGRAPHY. As far as photographic cut and atmosphere are concerned, there has almost been no change since the last two competitions. Some newspapers have realized that extreme formats and hard cuts add to a more attractive and dynamic appeal. A large number of newspapers, however, do not bother about a conscientious use of visuals. There is still a lot of work to do. PHOTO REPORTAGE. This category has newly been introduced into the competition as a striking amount of photo reportages had been sent in. A combination of photos, texts and infographics is a more successful means of
The Independent Jury
This year the committee met in Salzburg (Austria), in the chambers of the board of trustees responsible for the training of journalists. The members of the jury (from left to right): Theo Dersjant, Academy of Journalism, Tilburg (the Netherlands); Annette Milz, editor-in-chief of Medium Magazin, Frankfurt / Main (Germany); Angelika Eggert, specialist for typography from Düsseldorf (Germany); Meinrad Rahofer, director of the board of trustees for the training of journalists, and Johann Oberauer, publisher of Der Österreichische Journalist, Salzburg.
9 winning the readers’ interest than reports that mainly consist of texts. Photo reportages form part of normal newspapers, e.g. in reports on the sending of peacekeeping forces to Kosovo. The majority of photo reportages, however, can be found in travel sections and in weekend supplements. INFOGRAPHICS. The infographics at this year’s competition are on a very high level of design. Extravagant cuts, procedures and scientific presentations dominate the pages. Graphic presentations of figures are mainly in use with business papers. There are quite a few regional and local papers where infographics do not occur. So there is a clear distinction between papers that use infographics on a very high professional level and those that would not use them at all. SUPPLEMENTS. Supplements are still widely in use. All over Europe these special editorial achievements are still being developed and extended. Mostly, supplements are four-coloured. Supplements on scientific topics like gene
technology are newcomers of the year. There is a trend towards tabloid-format sport supplements, issued on special occasions such as important regional sport events. Some newspapers issue a sport supplement every Monday. SPECIAL PAGES. Like in the past years, special pages show creative versatility in the layout of pages and contents. INNOVATION. In this category the idea “news to use” has been put in the foreground this year. On the occasion of the millennium, for example, a blank supplement was published which could be filled with the readers’ personal recollections. Another newspaper offered their readers to cut off the bottom parts of the pages and assemble the cuttings to make a supplement of their own, which could be used beyond the date of publication. Both ideas are simple and innovative. They can be seen as models for other newspapers to develop new ideas.
Mega-Trends Newspapers concentrate on few topics. Front pages are not overcharged with news. A single lead article with a large photo dominates the page. References to inside pages are clearly structured and placed beside. Newspapers create order and clarity. A hierarchy from large to small elements is observed. Lead articles are emphasized on the pages, smaller articles are put along the margins. Thus, the readers receive signals as to the importance of certain topics. Newspapers are still isolated within the mass media complex. Internet access is not generally offered. The initial enthusiasm has vanished rapidly – a rather dangerous
situation with regard to young people’s habits of getting information. They are more oriented towards the new media and might not get in contact with dailies until they are connected with the Internet. Newspapers are creative and versatile. Apart from the classical sections, new topics have made their way into newspapers, often presented in supplements and special pages. Newspapers orientate themselves towards the readers’ needs. Coloured guide systems, special layouts of sectional front pages and a clear hierarchy on each single page help the readers find the topics of the day without delay.
Diário de Notícias Europe’s Best Designed Newspaper in the category ‘national newspaper’. Creative versatility is a steady feature with their front pages, special pages and supplements.
NORMAL FRONT PAGE. The masthead is followed by a teaser, the bottom of the page shows the teaser of a weekend supplement. The lead article is emphasized by the size of the photo.
REGIONAL PAGE. The lead article is accompanied by a large photo. Underneath smaller photos go together with articles which inform about the same event in different places.
INFORMATION ON THE NEWSPAPER: Diário de Notícias (Portugal) sells 100,000 copies and is issued in a half-sized Nordic format. Its circulation is nationwide, but it contains also a regional section.
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OPENER. This double page is the first in a series of special pages issued on the occasion of the demise of Jorge Amado. On the top of the page books by the author and their covers are presented and on the bottom the author’s biography, continued on the following pages. PICTURE. The two pages are connected by a portrait of the author, whose face, however, is carefully placed on the left part to avoid its being torn apart by the fold. TYPOGRAPHY. Headlines are printed in Franklin Gothic, the bodycopy in Swift. The lead on the left appears in unjustified print, quotations are put in boxes on the right.
Jury Statement Diário de Notícias impressed the jury by its creative versatility. The every-day layout shows a very high standard and a remarkable visual clarity. Especially with infographics, special pages and weekend supplements its creative potential is fully explored, for innovative elements of design are skilfully integrated within a set layout.
TRAGEDY ON THE BRIDGE. The front page depicts the situation after the breakdown of a bridge with heavy traffic. The large black space and the black-and-white masthead signalize sadness and sympathy. The double page (pages 4 – 5) combines photography and infographics to a perfect unit. The photo shows the emotion of the mourners, whereas the graphics describe exactly what happened, where the accident happened and the damages of the bridge.
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WEEKEND SUPPLEMENT. DNA, the weekend supplement, was already awarded in the past years. The front page shows a combination of calligraphy and photography. The double page from the inside presents the beginning of the story indicated on the front page. A striking feature is the simple and clear typography and the white space which connects both pages.
WEEKEND SUPPLEMENT. The inside pages of the weekend supplement offer enough room for extensive picture series. Each photo has a capture of its own printed in typewriting style and put on a coloured space. The overall effect of the photos and the dull background colours is gloomy and depressing.
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Trouw Europe’s Best Designed Newspaper in the category ‘national newspaper’. The distinguishing feature of this paper is its clear, sober and independent appearance.
A CLASSICAL INSIDE PAGE. Often only one single photo is used on a page. Its central position is vital for its energetic effect on the whole page.
WELL-AIMED PHOTOGRAPHIC EFFECT. This sport page ows its special effect to the extreme angle from which the photo was taken and the photographic cut of the lead photo.
Jury Statement Trouw impressed the jury because of its especially clear and sober appearance. This newspaper already attracted the jury's attention in the first two competitions as its layout does not follow current trends, but pursues its individual path. It radiates both reliability and modernity as the typographical means are most reduced and the use of photos is always targeted and focused on the appropriate contents.
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REDUCED MASTHEAD. The masthead is extremely reduced, which enables the editors – in contrast to other newspapers – to present more information above the fold and a large picture. Teasers on the right refer to inside pages. CONTRAST OF PICTURES. The coloured lead photo is set in contrast to three small black-and-white portraits which break up the lower part of the front page. USE OF TYPOGRAPHY. Headlines are printed in the Frutiger, bodycopy in the Swift. Special text forms like the interviews in the lower part of the page are put in unjustified print. A WELL-FINISHED PAGE. De Onderkant – the bottom margin – is a 85 mm-strip which forms the bottom part of all news pages. It is the place for comments, sport results and smaller text elements.
INFORMATION ON THE NEWSPAPER: Trouw (the Netherlands), sold 114,000 copies in 1999. Today the number of sold copies has reached 128,000. ‘Trouw’ means faithfulness and refers to the foundation of the newspaper by resistance fighters during the time of the German occupation in World War II. It is printed in the Nordic format.
Independent on Sunday Europe’s Best Designed Newspaper in the category ‘weekly’. Its elegant black-and-white appearance and polished layout are the prominent characteristics of this paper.
ELEGANT TYPOGRAPHY. Can typography be termed ‘elegant’ at all? It appears so. The page headline in the normal cut of the typeface Poynter already signalizes a certain lightness. The lead and the headline in the photo underline this effect. DIAGONALS. The photo only consists of diagonals formed by the wings of the seagulls. Diagonals always have a dynamic effect, whereas horizontal and vertical lines indicate stability. Closeness and Distance. The photo shows seagulls from a close distance, a far distance and partly cut off along the edges of the photo. This is why they look like a fragment from infinity. SUPERB VISUALIZATION. The topic “Holidays in Great Britain” is phantastically visualized as the coasts are all within easy reach and seagulls always indicate a certain beach and holiday atmosphere. A CALM PAGE LAYOUT. The rather exciting photographic introduction is followed by a rather plain layout. The article is well suited for a quiet reading on a Sunday morning. The end of the article is marked by some smaller photos.
Jury Statement ‘Less is more’ is the motto of the Independent on Sunday. Its appearance is especially brilliant and elegant, owing to the generous use of white space and the graceful typography, both of which create an unmistakable image. The Independent on Sunday relies on the graphic effect of black-and-white photos, often used in extreme cuts and extreme contrasts of size. Coloured pictures are reserved for front pages and sectional front pages.
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INFORMATION ON THE NEWSPAPER: The Independent on Sunday sells 245,000 copies. Its layout was polished several times over the past years. The newspaper is issued in the Nordic format.
FOR RETAIL SALE. The front page rather reminds of a daily. As the sales figures are at stake, versatility and dynamics are brought into focus. The masthead and the teaser below show a light and elegant typography which is entirely different from dailies.
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OPINION PAGE. The first page of the comment section appears as light and relaxed as a weekend page. The lead article is broken up by a large illustration. On the left, there is a column with the author’s portrait. The bottom of the page is filled with the quotations of the week. The portraits are all very well cut.
CONTRASTIVE PICTURES. A typical feature of this inside page is the use of white space and pictures. A landscape format makes a nice contrast to another cut-out portrait-size photo. The lead article is surrounded by a lot of white space on both sides.
COLOURED OPENER. The readers’ attention is directed towards a large coloured photo. The headline is placed below and the article itself begins with the club’s coat of arms and the score. On the left, photos and texts refer to articles on the inside pages of the sport section. Colour is only used for sectional front pages. The strict use of black and white on most pages contributes to the seriousness of the Independent on Sunday.
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PORTRAIT- AND LANDSCAPESIZE PHOTOS. These two inside pages of the sport section are typical of British newspaper layout as a large photo is accompanied by a small one. Both pages radiate great visual clarity because the amount of creative elements is much reduced.
Ingeniøren The Judges’ Special Recognition was given to the Danish weekly Ingeniøren. Its appearance creates an effect of modernity and innovation.
MAGAZINE LAYOUT. The front page of the second section shows a magazine layout: A single large photo dominates the page, the headline and the lead are integrated into the photo. On the right, a quotation refers to an article on inside pages, followed by three teasers. A striking feature on the sectional front pages are the numbers 2 and 3. They partly overlap the lead picture and create a relaxed appearance.
BUSINESS PAPER. This sectional front page reminds of a business paper because the lead picture shows a typical moment during a company’s conference. The photographer’s job is worthy of note: his play with parts that are in and out of focus and the cut which aims at a reduction to the essentials.
Jury Statement The Danish weekly Ingeniøren impressed by its modern appearance which is already reflected on its front page. The sectional front pages, which remind of magazine covers, are very innovative. Normal inside pages are oriented towards a classical newspaper layout. Some double pages show very detailed technical infographics. If there was a language of typography, the layout of Ingeniøren would speak it in a most modern and innovative way.
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INNOVATIVE COVER. The front page has an entirely new appearance. The left third of the page is left for teasers. A very skilful solution is shown with the integration of the address on the bottom left into the layout of the page. The layout on the right is rather conventional, but contains a variable column with the lead.
INFORMATION ON THE NEWSPAPER: The weekly Ingeniøren from Denmark features the subtitle ‘Magazine of Technical News’. In 1999 they sold 74,000 copies, in the year 2000 the number of sold copies was 82,301. It is published in a half-size Nordic format.
DOUBLE PAGE. This double page shows the typical layout of Ingeniøren: lots of white space and extreme contrasts in the photographic sizes. Explanations are often put alongside graphics or pictures.
OPINION PAGE. This opinion page consists of a caricature and three comments. Clues in the slugs allude to the topics. In order to break up the layout, extracts from the comments printed in a larger size are put within the article.
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PITHY VISUALIZATION. The double page is devoted to a single topic. The cut-out picture serves as a gripping visual. The lead enables the reader to classify the subjectmatter. Breakers in the article give it a more relaxed look. Additional material appears in two boxes and in an extra article on the right. In this way, the topic is not presented within a single article, but divided into different aspects, and the information is arranged much more clearly.
STOREKEEPING ON HIGHRISE SHELVES. A weekly for engineers has to explain technical procedures in a most detailed way. A means to accomplish this task is the use of infographics as shown in the presentation of how storekeeping on highrise shelves is managed. Some details are specified by photos and brief explanations. On the top right a second set of infographics is clicked in showing the computer control system. Three boxes with additional texts complete the graphics.
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A VIKING SHIP. Remainders of a Viking ship have been spotted in a burial mound. The above shown double page informs about the finding of metal pieces and their distribution, which might help to understand how the ship was built. The large graphics show what the ship might have looked like and its position. The boxed-in infographics consist of several parts with detailed information.