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5 posts from October 2010

29 October 2010

Tomorrow's front page

As we've been promising all week, Saturday's a big day for Post-Bulletin readers, and of course for us. Copy editor Adam Bergstrom, who along with page designer Barb Erickson and their boss, copy desk chief Randi Kallas, will get at least a few gray hairs later today as we put the newfangled paper to bed.

Here's my column for the front page:


Two new sections.

New local columns.

Financial advice from the Wall Street Journal and Dave Ramsey.

Daily business scoops from Jeff Kiger.

More news. Easier to use. More value. That's what you'll find in the Post-Bulletin, beginning today. Thanks for checking us out.

Inside, you'll find Your Money, a new section to help you manage your money, with advice and money management tips from the world's leading source, the Wall Street Journal, and from nationally known columnist Dave Ramsey.

You'll also find Social Network, a new weekly section on how local and area people get the most from their time online at Facebook and Twitter, tips on hot apps and websites, how-to's on cell phones and mobile technology — everything that goes into being connected with friends, family and the world at large.

Turn to my column on page A2 for more details on the new content and the changes we made to make the paper easier to read.

What hasn't changed is that what matters to you matters to us. We work hard every day to get that news and information into the paper, and to be a valuable and relevant part of your life.

Thanks for buying and reading the Post-Bulletin.

The press starts at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. Hope you like what we've produced, and I'm counting on you to share your comments.

26 October 2010

The tiny type in those sample ballots

Here's one of a few complaints we've had on the subject:

Who decides the size of the print used on the sample ballot in your paper the county or the PB?  It is almost impossible to read.  Maybe we could get one readable one before Nov 2.  Kudos for the rest of the election information.
 
Thanks
 
Pete

Sample ballots are legal advertising, placed by cities, counties and school boards, of course, but it may be that we're complicit in jamming a certain amount of copy into what they can afford...I'll check.

19 October 2010

New design and content headed your way

In case you missed it, here's the print column from Monday regarding a lot of changes you'll be seeing on 10/30:

Two weeks from now, you'll be holding a newspaper with a fresh look, new sections and pages filled with new content to make you smarter and better connected.

Before I go further, hold these thoughts: The Wall Street Journal, Dave Ramsey and Facebook.

For months we've been working on ways to make the paper even more relevant to our readers — easier to use and more important to you as you go through your lives each day. We've talked to readers, asked a lot of questions, looked at what other media are doing that works (and doesn't work), and we're just about ready to take the wraps off our plans.

Beginning with the Weekend edition on Saturday, Oct. 30, the Post-Bulletin will have a new look on the front page and on the section fronts. The goal is to get a cleaner, more contemporary design, that gives us flexibility to present important news and information in a way that's easy for you to access.

We aren't changing the news typeface, but the headlines, page toppers and other graphic features will get a fresh spin. Nothing startling, but you'll recognize the difference. Headlines will be bigger and bolder. Photos will be bigger. Stories will be well-organized to tell you what happened, why it's important and what comes next.

There's plenty to tell you about the new content we'll feature and I'll do that in this space for the next few weeks. Among the key attractions: Jeff Kiger's popular Heard on the Street column will move out to the front page every day, in short form, like the Answer Man column.

Kiger every day — what a concept! Hope he's working ahead.

In the Weekend edition, you'll get two new sections:

Your Money, which replaces the current Business section, will be all about personal finance, and here's where the Wall Street Journal comes in. The Journal, as you likely know, is the Bible of capitalism and the most important business publication in America, and it makes some of its best content available to other papers.

The Post-Bulletin is now one of that small and select number of papers. Your Money will feature the three-page Wall Street Journal report every weekend, with insight and advice from the nation's top money experts. This is in addition to local personal finance reporting and columns.

Also in Your Money: Dave Ramsey, one of the most popular financial advice columnists and media personalities in the business. Dave's column will be a big part of this new section's popularity, I'm convinced.

The other new section, Social Network, will be all about the networking world of Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, mobile devices and the other ways we stay in touch with friends and family, share news and connect with the world at large. There'll be how-to's on social networking and online, a weekly feature on new apps to make your smartphone even smarter, features and profiles.

This new Life section will replace Simply Southeast, though many of your favorite columnists and features will remain.

There's a lot more to tell you about the changes ahead. They're all aimed at making the paper more relevant to how you live, more connected to your interests and more valuable to you through the day.

THE POWER OF POETRY: Every Monday in the Life section, we publish poetry by a Rochester area writer. Today's poem on page C2 is by Val Battenburg of Rochester, a retired teacher. We've been keeping this going for more than a year, and I'd like to believe that readers look forward to the poems every week as much as I do.

Last week, I received this e-mail from a Wisconsin woman who had been visiting her dad in Pine Island:

"While visiting Pine Haven Nursing Home yesterday, I saw the poem 'My Old Man' with reference to you on the bottom. Apparently it was published in the Post-Bulletin but I cannot search the archives because I am not a subscriber. Could you e-mail me a copy of that poem or tell me how I could acquire a copy? My dad, whom I was visiting, could be the 'old man' in the poem.

"What a wonderful poem. Thank you so much."

That poem by John Stone was published June 14, and as the tagline to the poem says, "John Stone of Rochester started writing poetry every day since he turned 60 last July. This is the first time he has submitted any of his poems for publication."

So, John, you should know your first published poem had an impact on people, including someone at the Pine Haven Nursing Home as well as a perfect stranger from Oconomowoc, Wis.

That's the power of a newspaper clipping.

More on Favre survey question

Here's a note from a reader unhappy with the survey question:


Just curious why you'd put up a poll about punishments before the investigators have even met with Favre? Plus, the poll only has three options (slap on the wrist, fine, fine and suspension), all of which assume guilt.

I don't know what actually happened there a couple years ago; I doubt the PB does, either. As journalists, if you're going to poll something like this before an investigation is even complete, don't you think you should include an option for "unproven" or at least "none of the above"? Just in case?

(Like I said, I don't know what actually did or didn't happen; don't care all that much, either. Just getting sick of front page polls that make huge assumptions about one thing or another, and the results get a place in the print edition.)

Christine L.

My followup:

Thanks for this, Christine -- it's just a survey on a top-of-mind item for most Vikings fans. You're right that a fourth option could have been, "Nothing comes of it," but as phrased, it's certainly a "sexting scandal" that Favre himself hasn't denied...has gone out of his way not to deny, in fact.
I haven't written today's survey question -- got one?
Have a great day,
Jay

 

18 October 2010

'Is Brett Favre's off-field behavior really newsworthy?'

Brett-favre
A note from a reader just now, regarding our Backtalk question at Postbulletin.com:

Jay,

Is Brett Favre's off-field behavior really newsworthy?

Please reconsider your latest survey. Childish and trivial are two words that come to mind.

Thank you.

(The reader signed the note, which I appreciate.)

Here's my response:

Hi -- I wrote it...it's pretty topical in the sports world at the moment...and personally, I think this type of behavior has larger news implications as well.
Thanks for the comment.

What do you think? Childish or meaningful in at least the sports world?

 

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