JB - Newspaper Design and Layout Lesson

The first newspaper published in America was Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick on September 25th, 1690. It filled only 3 of 4 six by ten inch pages of a folded sheet of paper. Benjamin Harris's news was real news and was the first and last offered to Americans for many years. Publick Occurrences was brought to an end after only one issue because it was printed without the authority of the government. It would be fourteen years before another newspaper was published.

Generally, news is important information the reader did not know before it was presented. Editors must make choices about how to create a paper that people will want to read. The format of a newspaper is what attracts readers to buy it, and this is especially important when looking at the front page. Editors use their judgment to select the most important stories to include in each addition. They select the best photos or images to further draw in the reader. They even create headlines to capture your attention.  

Occasionally, major changes occur in the look of the newspaper, but most newspapers maintain a certain visual identify for an extended period of time. The newspaper must be designed so that readers want to read it, and when they do, are satisfied that it gives them the information they want.

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