Finished newspaper.

This is my finished front cover of my local newspaper. I took inspiration from several different local newspapers but in particular the Halstead Gazette and Witham and Braintree Times. I played around with the layout of my front cover to create the most professional, realistic layout I could. Once again I used black, white and red as I feel they compliment each other well and create an eye catching yet smart newspaper. I choice my stories very carefully considering what it was my target market wanted to read about, research helped me to identify these. After doing two drafts of my front cover I decided on this one as my audience picked this one, however I also felt it looked more professional and eye catching.

Tabloid, Broadsheet and local newspaper research.

In order to fully understand the conventions and demands of creating a local newspaper, I decided to research and compare visually using a van diagram the conventions and differences between the three different forms of newspapers. Using a van diagram form to organise the features of newspapers I was able to see the similarities and differences between the three, allowing me to meet the conventions of a local newspaper but also to perhaps challenge certain conventions to create a unique local newspaper.

Different main stories.

I decided to experiment with different main headlines attracting different readers, creating more than one main headline allowed me to decide which one was more attractive and typical of a local newspaper.

First Draft Newspaper.

This is my first draft front cover of my local newspaper. I took inspiration from several different local newspapers but in particular the Halstead Gazette and Witham and Braintree Times. I played around with the layout of my front cover to create the most professional, realistic layout I could. Once again I used black, white and red as I feel they compliment each other well and create an eye catching yet smart newspaper. I choice my stories very carefully considering what it was my target market wanted to read about, research helped me to identify these. To improve I may change the colour of my red boxes with the stories featured inside, perhaps to white, I may also change the advertisements.

Talking to local newspaper editiors.

In order to fully understand the task ahead as well as the conventions of local newspapers I decided to email local newspaper editors from The Essex Chronicle and Braintree and Witham times.

The questions I asked the editors were:

·         What type of storylines do you publish?

·         What is the process you go through in order to publish a story?

·         What are your most popular, successful storylines?

·         What are your circulation figures?

·         Why do you not have a website?

·         What is your typical target audience?

·         How hard would you say it would be to set up a local newspaper?

·         How much would you price a local newspaper?

·         Do you think the internet is an important role for the future of newspapers – do you think it will be the end of newspapers?

Talking to the editor of The Essex Chronicle.

Talking to the editor (Paul-Dent Jones) of the Essex Chronicle on the phone was extremely useful and showed me an insight into local newspapers.

Paul informed me that `hard hitting' news, often bad news is their most popular storylines as well as how peoples money is effected. Their most popular headline was 2012 story about the man shooting a police man in Clacton.

I also asked who were there typical target audience/ age etc. Just as I thought, he told me that it was hard to tell however it appears to be mainly 40-50+. I then went on to inform him of my project and my aim to attract younger people through my interaction of my website, he agreed with this yet said they achieve half a million hits a month on their website showing that older people also enjoy the website. I did then ask the difficult question of if technology and internet would be the end of paper local newspapers, he agreed and said eventually it would be after 10-15 years he still believes the Essex Chronicle would still be around in some form.

When I asked about their circulation figures I was shocked to hear how high the readership was and how many copies they sell. They sell 24,000 copies a week and have a readership of 11,000 people.

Talking to the editor of a large local newspaper was extremely interesting in looking into the real life processes of making a local newspaper. Unlike Braintree and Witham times the Essex Chronicle covers the whole of the country, showing a different demographic and purpose to a small local newspaper.

Below is an image of the Essex Chronicle.

Email from editor of Braintree and Witham Times.

In reply to my email regarding information about local newspapers the editor of Braintree and Witham times very kindly answered my questions.

1) The most popular storylines focus on the events that Braintree people are talking about. The 'live' stories. That may be a high profile crime story, a fight for justice or a big campaign (like saving maternity services in Braintree). Strong images can also drive the success of the story.

2) The Braintree and Witham Times sells around 11,000 copies per week. The average print and web readership is around 50,000 people.

3) We don't really have a typical target readership as stories cover a wide range of issues from school reports and news features through to community life (in which clubs send in reports). It's true to say there are more readers in the over-35 age group than the under-35 age group but we try to offer broad service. While a schoolboy may not buy the paper, he may read his team's youth football report.

4) The biggest challenge local newspapers face is the cost of the operation and like so many businesses, the economic trend. Newspapers need to generate cash through advertisers, cover price (price of the paper) or both. But advertisers may spend less money in a weak economy and the cost of printing the product, paying good quality and qualified staff and keeping a premises, can weight heavily on profit. It's not easy!

5) The internet has changed the way we report the news. We see our websites as an 'extension' of the news page. They complement and promote each other. Readers still enjoy the printed product, which is more comprehensive and visual than the web, even if they check our websites for breaking news stories. There are stories and features in the newspaper which don't appear on the web. It's hard to predict the future of the web or local newspapers but at the moment the web does have an important role in the future of the newspaper industry. It's a chance to offer our readers the complete news service throughout the week.