National newspapers of Estonia use blank pages to protest against draft legislation on the protection of source information.

Six major national newspapers belonging to the Estonian Newspaper Association (ENA) published a blank page today in order to protest against the draft legislation on the protection of source information drawn up on the initiative of the Minister of Justice Rein Lang, which the Parliament of Estonia decided to send to the first reading.

Blank front page was today published by Postimees, Äripäev, and Õhtuleht. One blank page appeared inside Eesti Päevaleht, Eesti Ekspress, and Maaleht.

 

(more…)

Tartu Postimees (Estonia) won yet again an award from a world newspaper design contest 2009, which is held by SND (Society for News Design) for the 31st time. This time the award was given to a front page from the 1st of September 2009 (The schoolyear begin), which was edited by Elina Randoja and Vahur Kalmre, graphics by Artur Kuus.

 

Sweden got most of the awards, 25, in comparison with other countries nearby (Svenska Dagbladet 8, Dagens Nyheter 4). 16 awards went to Denmark (all Politiken), Finland came out with 6 and Norway 2 awards (Bergens Tidende). Among other countries close to Estonia, one prize went to Russia (Moscow’s free weekly newspaper Moy Rayon). In the 2009 contest, the jury awarded 1101 awards.

We started to make a double page series of Tartu city districts in Tartu Postimees (the local paper in Estonia). When it comes to double page series, there has to be always some kind of obligatory element and so we made up some ( for example city map as a rubric, the city district in a close-up, table of statistics, three or four interviews with people, picture quiz and etc). The first double page series have appeared in print.

 

(more…)

For a change let’s look what the neighbours from South – Latvian and Lithuanian newspapers are doing. Here you can see only the front pages, which don’t give a all view, but they still show something.

I’ve heard that some Latvian and Lithuanian newspapers have used the help of foreign design consultants. For example, Latvian newspaper’s Diena sports extra is designed by Spanish Cases i Associats. Also, Danish designer Ole Munk helped to transfer Diena from large format to a compact one (he has also designed one of Latvian local  newspaper – Zemgale Zinas). Jacek Utko – the head designer in Bonniers group has also advised both countries business newspapers. A few years ago me and Artur Kuus made a new design to a Lithuanian newspaper – Lietuvos rytas.

 

(more…)

Monday November 16th is a milestone in the history of Helsingin Sanomat, the largest newspaper by circulation in the Nordic region, and it is also a moment when the present staff turn a new page, writes HS in their international edition.  It was on this day 120 years ago that Helsingin Sanomat’s immediate predecessor Päivälehti first made its appearance in 1889, and today has also been chosen for the launch of a new look for the daily newspaper.

The most obvious changes for the readers of the print paper will come in the shape of a new font for headlines and body texts, as those behind the venture have sought above all to improve clarity and readability.

 

(more…)

This year the best designed newspapers in Europe come from Sweden, Germany, Portugal and Croatia, writes in your webpage newspaper designer Norbert Küpper.  A total of 241 newspapers from 27 countries participated in the 11th European Newspaper Award. Awards of Excellence are given to 108 newspapers in 21 countries.

The awards for best design and concept got in category local newspaper Smålandsposten, Sweden, in category regional newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung, Germany, in category nationwide newspaper I informação, Portugal. Judges’ Special Recognition got newspaper 24sata, Croatia.

 

More information you cad read in the European Newspaper Award webpage.

Estonian newspapers got three awards in this contest, all for the front pages. These newspapers are Postimees, Tartu Postimees and Äripäev.

 

It’s good to look, enjoy and design great/big visual things in newspapers.

I noticed some big things in estonian newspapers, which usually mean a big fotograph. When it comes to the big song festival it’s only natural that Postimees and Eesti Päevaleht had the same idea (how else can you show crowd of people and emotion. I don’t think that 6 column photo could achieve the same power). I would like to see more this kind of courage in estonian newspapers, even now in the tough times and not only in every 4 years during the song festival.

 

This kind of story happened to the American newspaper – Hartford Courant, which is actually the oldest persistently released newspaper in America.

In september of 2008 the newspaper came out with a new design, in which the masthead was radically changed: instead of the traditional horizontal masthead, there was the vertical one. At that time the newspapers’ director of design Melanie Shaffer said that they also wanted to put a reference to online, which meant they wanted to use dot-com in their logo. Shaffer said that during that time the change seemed good and innovative.

Unfortunately the readers didn’t agree.

The readers’ disapproval made the newspaper carry out a quick poll, in which they wanted to know what kind of masthead the readers want. 95 percent demanded the horizontal masthead. They got what they wanted.

 

This year they gave the yellow pencil award among the D&AD awards to the portuguese newspaper – Publico. In the category of magazine and newspaper design. New York Magazine received three awards in the same category.

This year they didn’t give out the black pencil award, which is more prestige. In 2006 the new design of The Guardian received the black pencil award.