Facts wants "smarter" tabloids
For its fifth birthday, the news magazine undergoes more than just a visual renovation
For its fifth birthday, the news magazine undergoes more than just a visual renovationThe lout years are over: Just in time for its first anniversary - Facts is turning five - the news magazine is giving itself a thorough makeover. Less shrill, a calmer layout and a search for the "intelligent" tabloid - these are the recipes. Anyone holding this week's Facts edition in their hands will immediately notice the absence of the previously rather chaotic visual appearance. The articles have a clearer layout, images and text have been disentangled, and the stylistic devices have been reduced. In the future, a lot of emphasis will be placed on high-quality photographs. Although the number of pictures will remain at the same level as before, the number of individual photos will be significantly reduced. "Where we used to have three pictures, there will be just one in the future," says Facts editor-in-chief René Lüchinger.
Extensive corrections have also been made to individual sections. The society section, for example, now has two fewer pages. On the other hand, the domestic and business sections will be slightly expanded. Otherwise, the structure of the magazine remains largely unchanged.
The redesign is based on comprehensive external and internal clarifications: A reader survey, content analysis, a study by the University of Zurich and intensive discussions in the editorial team formed the basis for the reorientation. "Facts is a tabloid and often appears too sensational," says editor-in-chief René Lüchinger, quoting one of the most frequently heard criticisms. And he admits: "We sometimes presented tabloid stories in a way that was too bold.
The new Facts now wants to consciously leave behind its hermaphroditic status as a tabloid magazine. "That doesn't mean, however, that there will be no more tabloid topics in the paper," says Lüchinger, "what's needed is intelligent tabloid that doesn't come across as platitudinous." However, the path to this goal is not quite as easy to impose as a new layout. It's an ongoing process that the editorial team now wants to tackle in a targeted manner.
The long shadow of Kurt Schwerzmann
Facts planned and executed the entire relaunch in-house. Project management was in the hands of Andreas Dietrich. The visual redesign was created by long-time Facts AD Othmar Rothenfluh, office partner of Dietik newspaper designer Kurt Schwerzmann.
The influence of the joint workshop is also unmistakable in the newly designed Facts. This becomes clearly visible when comparing Cash, which was relaunched a few weeks ago and designed by Schwerzmann, with Facts: A visual convergence of the two titles is unmistakable. Daniel Schifferle
Extensive corrections have also been made to individual sections. The society section, for example, now has two fewer pages. On the other hand, the domestic and business sections will be slightly expanded. Otherwise, the structure of the magazine remains largely unchanged.
The redesign is based on comprehensive external and internal clarifications: A reader survey, content analysis, a study by the University of Zurich and intensive discussions in the editorial team formed the basis for the reorientation. "Facts is a tabloid and often appears too sensational," says editor-in-chief René Lüchinger, quoting one of the most frequently heard criticisms. And he admits: "We sometimes presented tabloid stories in a way that was too bold.
The new Facts now wants to consciously leave behind its hermaphroditic status as a tabloid magazine. "That doesn't mean, however, that there will be no more tabloid topics in the paper," says Lüchinger, "what's needed is intelligent tabloid that doesn't come across as platitudinous." However, the path to this goal is not quite as easy to impose as a new layout. It's an ongoing process that the editorial team now wants to tackle in a targeted manner.
The long shadow of Kurt Schwerzmann
Facts planned and executed the entire relaunch in-house. Project management was in the hands of Andreas Dietrich. The visual redesign was created by long-time Facts AD Othmar Rothenfluh, office partner of Dietik newspaper designer Kurt Schwerzmann.
The influence of the joint workshop is also unmistakable in the newly designed Facts. This becomes clearly visible when comparing Cash, which was relaunched a few weeks ago and designed by Schwerzmann, with Facts: A visual convergence of the two titles is unmistakable. Daniel Schifferle
