A1 Addition to Mix Up the Pace
Shawn McIntosh, Public editor
If you are reading this column on a busy Saturday morning before you begin a full day of hauling the kids, mowing the lawn, catching up from a busy week and hopefully having a lot of fun, I’m impressed and appreciative.
One of the things we’ve learned from research is how little time readers have to spend with the newspaper on weekday and Saturday mornings. Some scan through the headlines, reading the stuff they haven’t heard about, and return at a later time to dig in. Others have a standard routine that lasts exactly as long as two cups of coffee. Some tell us, with a little embarrassment, that they don’t always get back to the newspaper after giving Page One a quick perusal and setting it aside.
Our editors had those reading habits in mind when they designed the new daily Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which differs dramatically from the more relaxed pace of AJCSunday. In the daily, editors were trying to supply readers with an efficient report that focused on local news and was both comprehensive and easy to scan.
Some readers think we’ve gone too far.
The daily paper has energy and lots of news, readers have told us. But because the redesign occurred at a time when news pages were also reduced, some readers say the daily paper is less satisfying to read. Too much short stuff, they say, and not enough to dig into.
Beginning Monday, the newsroom will give readers at least one more thing to dig into every day. You’ll find a daily “cover story” on Page A1 , much like the cover stories on every section of the Sunday paper.
I asked Managing Editor Bert Roughton and Daily Editor Mark Waligore about their vision for the new daily cover story.
“The cover story idea, which we’ve modified from what we do on Sunday, allows us to slow down some and provide readers both a more satisfying reading experience as well as more depth on a topic, ” Roughton said.
Waligore said a lot of thought and planning will go into selecting the daily cover story. Editors, especially Waligore, will look at the story’s timeliness and how interesting readers are likely to find the topic.
Above all else, Wali- gore said, a cover story must have smart, original reporting.
“On some days, for instance, the cover story will look at news events to come. In these pieces, we’ll set the stage for a news event and provide our readers with a deeper understanding of what is to take place, ” Waligore said. “On other days, the cover story might play off the news, such as our recent profile on NCR’s CEO.
“The cover story will also provide us with the opportunity to treat readers to some beautifully written narratives, some quick-turn, but strong, pieces of investigative reporting, and trend stories that paint a clearer picture of the place we call home, ” Waligore said.
Roughton said the decision to add a cover story is one of many made based on reader feedback.
“We’ve heard enough and have experienced enough in this new format to conclude that the daily newspaper needs to provide readers a better mix of speeds, and to give readers something they can enjoy over a second cup in the morning or a lingering lunch, ” Roughton said.
We’ll be interested in hearing what you think.
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19 comments Add your comment
steve lanier
June 15th, 2009
4:55 pm
It seems to me the AJC uses the thought process that the readers are too busy Monday-Saturday (and Sunday) to read anything of depth as a defense for a minimalist paper. “If our readers were not so busy, we would print more.” We have heard this excuse for years now and we see it coming in every response from the editors.
If your logic were correct, the ‘NYT’ and the “WPO’ would be minimalist papers. Or do the residents of NYC and DC have more time to read a detailed story printed in good to great newspapers.
Tim
June 16th, 2009
6:12 pm
I agree, Steve. It is amazing that now, all of a sudden people “just don’t have enough time” to read newspapers during the week. Since when? It’s not as if the economy is booming and everyone is busy. The unemployment rate is sky-high. If people aren’t reading, it’s not because they don’t have the time.
I was down in Macon a couple of weeks ago. I picked up the Macon Telegraph and brought it back to Atlanta. I took the front page of the AJC and put it on top of the front page of the Macon Telegraph. It was hard to believe, because the Telegraph was protruding out! The smaller-city newspapers now have a larger width than the AJC. It’s unreal how narrow the paper is. It looks so pathetic in the newspaper bins around the city.
With the economy in turmoil, we no longer have a stand-alone Business Section. Corporate corruption will only worsen with less reporting and fewer watchdogs. And the Living Section is so thin and paltry it can be read in 3 minutes. They need to put some wire articles in the Living Section since they have AJC reporters writing so few. It is inexcusable for a section to be that small.
I never understood why the AJC doesn’t have a section titled “State News”. They give us a little National and World news, and then leave us clueless as to what is going on around Georgia. So I’ve been glad to see that recently they have included some articles from around the state in the Metro Section. We need more, though. That might be one of the reasons there is a disconnect between Metro Atlanta and the rest of the state. If you only read the AJC, then you are totally ignorant about the happenings around Georgia. I should not have to look on the internet to get an idea as to what is going on in Athens, Columbus, Savannah, Macon, Augusta, and other cities.
We need a comprehensive paper, this talk about people being short on time is just an excuse to further gut the AJC. There are plenty of us who want solid reporting throughout the week!
Donald
June 20th, 2009
10:50 am
This is no longer a big time newspaper. The content is shallow and lacking. Also, who is editing and spell checking the stories? Each and every edition is rife with mis-spellings and sytax errors. The spelling especially is at the level of a high school paper.
Donald
June 20th, 2009
10:51 am
I also find it comical that you can’t get a copy of the paper in Spalding County.
Where the AJC falls short
June 21st, 2009
11:55 am
Why is the AJC not printing a comment because it’s a duplicate comment? Of course it’s a duplicate comment! If you printed it the first or second time it was posted, a poster wouldn’t have to duplicate it.
And why is there no new Conversation Starter blog for June, 21? Did the questions get too tough for the AJC editors to answer?
AJC,LOL
June 24th, 2009
9:05 am
This commy rag of a newspaper really isnt worth using as a substitute for toilet paper. I so look forward to the day that AJC files for bankruptcy. You guys cater to the democrats/socialist who only spend they money on cheap licka and ho’s, hence, your fate of bankruptcy.
Decent and respectful citizens dont swallow and refuse to feed at the AJC garbage scowl.
zippey
June 29th, 2009
2:25 pm
thank you for the information, and thanks for putting it in a shorter format. no one these days has time to sit down and read anything
please read my blog http://www.saveyourmoneysaveyourfamily.blogspot.com
Dave
July 4th, 2009
4:42 pm
How is it that 5,000 people show up in Cobb County for the tea party and the AJC is silent about it? AJC had no problem at all crowing about the Gwinnett Tea Party being canceled, but when a tea party actually happens, you can hear crickets. Everyone knows that the AJC has always been in favor of higher taxes for working people, but this WAS an actual news story, not Beyonce tripping on a dog turd on Peachtree street.
Your hypocrisy is showing more and more!
Thank you Stephanie
July 4th, 2009
8:42 pm
Thank you Stephanie Ramage, for exposing AJC editor Julia Wallace for what she truly is in the latest edition of the Sunday Paper. Not that it’s likely she has the nerve to answer your questions. As you can see by what has happened on this Conversation Starter blog, when the questions get past the cupcake stage, the standard operating procedure is to cut and run.
serene
July 5th, 2009
10:02 am
From the July 5 AJC.
Michelle Obama brings her superstar glamour to Moscow this weekend as she accompanies her husband on his summit with the Russian president.
Really? Really?
I personally like Ms. Obama but this fawning coverage is just over the top. When did the AJC stop being a newspaper?
A very silent public editor it appears
July 5th, 2009
10:35 pm
The Sunday Paper has brough up some very legitimate questions about the
AJC’s coverage of the Atlanta Police Dept.
Even though they were directed to Julia Wallace, Ms. McIntosh is on here claiming to address reader’s concerns.
Are you willing to address the concerns like a true, objective newspaper ombudsman would, or are you in reality just a glorifed PR flak?
billy bob from cobb
July 6th, 2009
4:10 pm
Lets be honest, the ajc is dieing because it sucks.I have done ads with them for the last ten years and spent well over 2 million dollars in that time. This year I moved my ad money to the radio because I do not feel like the Ga population shares the same views as the ajc. If I wanted the Obama news I can always go to cnn. They call themselves the black news.
serene
July 8th, 2009
9:59 am
The AP is reports:
A federal jury has seen video of a former Louisiana congressman accepting a suitcase filled with $100,000 in cash outside a northern Virginia hotel.
Will we see this story in the AJC. No chance. Wrong party
Bat boy
July 16th, 2009
2:38 pm
Well it’s been some months since the AJC launched the “new AJC” with a slimmer format and a supposed new perspective on balance and fairness. How are they doing?
From my perspective…no change. Its still the same elitist, we know best liberal journalism. Stories about democrat corruption are deep sixed. Republican corruption stories are highlighted. The talk about being sensitive to being fair is talk. No more time for talk. No more time for conservatives to give the new AJC a chance. It’s time to leave, time to stop the subscription, time to take the AJC our of my internet reading list. Time to look to a source for news that is more interested in the truth.
Turd Ferguson
July 16th, 2009
3:14 pm
The AJC makes a great fanny wiping paper plus it costs less.
Sluggo
July 19th, 2009
4:43 pm
I thought Cynthia McKinney and her race baiting ways were leaving.
Patnap
August 28th, 2009
10:41 am
While CNN was talking about bi-partisanship in honor of Kennedy, I received a phone call from Tom Price, Rep. Cong. asking me to come to a meeting to defeat Obama’s health care plan. How is that for bi-partisanship. They could not even wait for his burrial to enlist support for their cause.
Patnap
September 4th, 2009
11:07 am
Where do the Republicans come off making a decision on health care reform for me. I refer you to the article in Sec. B pg. 1 where they want to amend the state constitution to prohibit Washington from enforcing health care. Talk about socialism. Since when do republicans make decisions for all. What if I want healt care reform…what right do you have to prevent me from getting it? Where is the democracy here. This demonstration yesterday on the Capital steps shows everyone that some of us want this plan and you (Republicans) have no right to try to prevent this from happening. If you want to see demonstrations…just try this. You would rather continue to see people lose their homes due to the high cost of health care (which is the leading cause of foreclosures) than pass a health care bill? Amazing.
PhillDoc
October 21st, 2009
12:29 pm
Great post as for me. I’d like to read something more concerning this matter.