In a previous article, Indian Printer and Publisher had interacted with the lead designers of Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, The Hindu, which won accolades along with Deccan Herald and Malayala Manorama at the 6th International Newspaper Design Competition awards announced recently.
Part one focused on the award-winning designs. In this article, Anup Gupta of Hindustan Times, Kannan Sundar from The Hindu and Bivash Barua from The Indian Express discuss the road ahead for newspaper design and the challenges in getting younger readers on board.
Attracting younger audiences
Newspapers can attract young readers by ditching the cluttered layouts favored by some papers and instead focusing on clean, functional design, Barua shared. “Young people today are smart and used to the intuitive interfaces of their favorite websites and apps. They expect the same from their news sources. A functional design makes it easy for them to find the news they want quickly and avoid information overload,” he added.
The line between ‘design’ and ‘decoration’ is very thin, and risks being breached easily to make a page ‘attractive,’ Gupta said, adding that, however, while it may look good, such a page will not address the elephant in the room. “Content, for any audience, young or old, will always remain the king. Once the content is in place, design should come in to create layers to enable the audience to access it simply, absorb it easily, and process the content completely, to walk away feeling satiated,” he said.
A good design, therefore, hums quietly alongside the content, enveloping the audience in its embrace whilst creating space for the content to bloom, he revealed.
A well-crafted newspaper design can be a powerful tool in engaging younger readers, Kannan Sundar from The Hindu said, adding young audiences are drawn to visually appealing content, which is why The Hindu prioritizes modern and visually stimulating designs. Vibrant colors, eye-catching graphics, and dynamic layouts are key elements that capture their attention and enhance their reading experience. Interactive elements such as QR codes and augmented reality features add an extra layer of engagement, catering to their preference for interactive digital experiences, he said.
Kingsmen, which focuses on Indian chess grandmaster Vishanathan Anand, was designed by a team comprising Puneet Verma, Monica Gupta, Malay Karmakar, and Susan Ninan. “Great balance of illustration and photography combining to tell a complex story about a panel of subjects in an attractive, approachable way,” said the jury about the design. Photo: Hindustan Times“With many young people consuming news on their smartphones and tablets, we understand the importance of mobile optimization. Our designs draw inspiration from UI and UX principles for mobile devices, ensuring a seamless transition from digital to print,” Sundar said. By prioritizing visual appeal, interactivity, mobile optimization, personalization, and inclusivity, we aim to create engaging and relevant content experiences that resonate with the next generation of readers, he added.
Future of newspaper design
“Over centuries, as and when a new technology comes on the horizon, there is some disruption. But then the theory propagated by Bruce A Tuckman in the early 1960s — FORM, STORM, NORM, PERFORM, comes into play, and after some disruption, eventually, things settle down. The digital and the brick-and-mortar world will eventually coexist, and I believe it will be just fine,” Gupta explained.
So, seeing the future through Mr Tuckman’s lens, when new tech is ‘formed’ (developed), and it creates a ‘storm’, new ‘norms’ will be established that will help everyone ‘perform,’ he said, adding that newspapers will see some change, but it will be for the better. The future of newspapers is safe if we embrace new ways of storytelling and reach out to satisfy the needs of our audiences.
While both digital and print design share core principles and goals, a key difference lies in how they capture user attention, shared Barua, adding digital products aims to engage users quickly, while print design needs to hold a reader’s interest for a longer duration. This doesn’t negate the importance of print. In India, for instance, newspapers remain a powerful medium, and effective design will be crucial for their continued success, he added.
In the digital era, newspapers are undergoing significant transformation to meet the evolving needs of readers, according to Sundar. “We’re seeing a shift towards mobile optimization as more people consume news on smartphones and tablets. This means our designs must prioritize mobile-friendly layouts to ensure seamless reading experiences on smaller screens.”
Additionally, The Hindu is embracing interactive and multimedia content to engage readers in new ways, Sundar shared. “From videos and animations to infographics and interactive graphics, these elements bring stories to life and captivate audiences. Personalization is also key. By leveraging technology, we can deliver tailored content experiences that resonate with individual reader preferences. This might include personalized recommendations and custom content feeds.”
The Indian Express won the Best of Show in the Infographic category for its infographic titled ‘The Parliament of India’, which explored both the historic and the new parliament buildings. The design for the infographic was by Bivash Barua with illustrations by Suvajit Dey and text by Chakshu Roy, Damini Nath and Divya A.Data visualization plays a crucial role in helping readers understand complex information, Sundar shared. “Expect to see more charts, maps, and infographics that make data more digestible and engaging.”
“User engagement is another focus. We are creating opportunities for readers to participate in the news through interactive features, community forums, and user-generated content. And of course, we are integrating with social media and digital platforms to reach and engage audiences where they are. Seamless sharing of content, live updates, and real-time interactions with readers are all part of our digital strategy. Overall, the future of newspaper design is all about innovation, interactivity, and delivering personalized, engaging, and accessible content experiences across multiple platforms and devices, Sundar added.
“Standing out in a digital world is a must. Newspapers compete with the constant stream of attention-grabbing content online. Design plays a critical role in capturing the reader’s interest and holding it against the endless scroll of the web,” Barua shared.
Challenges in newspaper design
Creating newspaper designs presents a myriad of challenges, Sundar said, adding that as design editors, they are tasked with navigating the delicate balance between tradition and innovation. “We must seamlessly blend new features with familiar elements to keep our readers engaged. Adapting to ever-evolving technologies is a must, requiring us to continuously learn and adjust our approach,” he added.
Newspaper designers face a balancing act, Barua said, adding they must juggle various elements such as stories, photos, and ads, all while ensuring the layout is clear and easy to read. This constant optimization is crucial for a newspaper’s success.
Finding the sweet spot between familiar and fresh is another challenge. Readers expect a comfortable level of recognition in a newspaper’s design, but a stagnant look can quickly lose their interest. Designers must strike a balance between maintaining a recognizable format and introducing new ideas to keep things engaging, Barua shared.
Especially for breaking news, designers need to work efficiently to create impactful layouts under the gun. This fast-paced environment requires sharp design skills and the ability to think on their feet, Barua added
“Tight deadlines are a constant in our industry, pushing us to work swiftly without sacrificing quality. Designing for both print and digital formats adds another layer of complexity, demanding different skills and considerations. Catering to diverse audiences with varying preferences and habits requires careful thought and planning. Space constraints in newspapers force us to prioritize content and use layouts efficiently,” Sundar shared.
Accessibility is non-negotiable – we must ensure that all readers can access and enjoy our content, Sundar said, adding that balancing editorial content with advertising while maintaining an engaging user experience is not easy. “Additionally, we face stiff competition from digital media, requiring us to stand out with compelling and differentiated design. To overcome these challenges, we rely on creativity, adaptability, and collaboration with our editorial teams and readers,” he added.
“To be honest, designing newspapers was, is, and will always remain exciting, however with a difference. With digital penetration being what it is, and increasing, designers will have to understand the nature of the usage better, to create design systems that deliver on every use case, across mediums and platforms without compromising the brand’s identity,” Gupta shared.
Designers will have to build stronger abilities to visualize stories and create solutions that are native to the platform, and create music, seamlessly, allowing the content to bloom, he said. A quick glance around the world shows how we can see some titles (and professionals) that have adapted and adopted, have survived and some have even done well. The rest, however, have withered away, and many have even been laid to rest, Gupta concluded.
