PAGINATION

Designing is the final act by the editorial department to present the days news in an attractive and interesting way. Before the advancement in technology, the pencil and paper method was used to lay out the information, according to merits, on pages, whatever be the number, before it is delivered in final form to the readers at the breakfast table. After assessing the space for editorial matter (leaving aside the advertisement area), the editor, with the designer and make-up man works under practical limitations in accommodating available stories on a page with required emphasis. Layout or make-up is the arrangement of headlines, text type, pictures and other items on a page. The newspaper has form and format. Both are fixed and one has to give his best in dressing up the page. In the electronic era, the pencil-paper layout has given way to laying the page on video display terminal. This is called PAGINATION. Despite the fact that this method is expensive, not perfect, suited only for tabloids, newspapers have taken to this for many good and advantageous reasons. The main reason is you can see how your page looks by a click of the button after placing all that you want. Since you can view headlines, body type, photographs, cut-lines and boxes and other devices you deploy, you can change the items on a page as you desire without much delay. The day is not far off when the computer technology will help to connect the page, laid as one wishes, on VDT, to the rotary in the press. Whatever changes you make on the VDT will be immediately transmitted to the page on the press. This development will eliminate many processes that a made-up page has to undergo before mounting on the rotary slot. At least one hour can be saved between pagination and printing. This system will aid to tailor a page for special readers. The computer can programme any loading of material category-wise such as sports news, national and international news with ease. It is without lead poison danger and one can work under the comfort of cool atmosphere since the computers need air-conditioned space. Compared to earlier day newspapers which were small and with no advertisements, the present day ones called BROADSHEET, have more number of pages with a heavy load of advertisements. They have a standardized size of 33 cm by 54 cm. (17 x 22 ). The tabloids, are the size (8 x 11 or 21 cm x 27 cm) of broadsheets. These are published by corporate companies (known as house journals) to project their image in the public, indulge in social gossip, tackle labour problems and give stories of human interest. This is being done to promote harmony among employees and persuade the staff to do their best in their own interest as this would earn them more money and credibility amongst the public.

2 The form (size) and format (display) limit the scope of the editorial staff and the designer (graphic journalist) to present the paper which should not only be good to look at, but also, be captivating to read. Readers get satisfied with the contents of the page and their placement. Readers, starting from the beginning, read everything from front to back and from top to bottom. So, they lived with vertical make-up or no make-up at all. This pattern stayed for generations. The five categories of make-up are : 1. No make-up. 2. Vertical make-up. All headlines in first column and one-column headlines throughout. 3. Incipient horizontal-vertical with headlines of 2 or more column width. 4. Horizontal a traditional to extreme; and 5. All others a. Magazine to modular b. Tabloid c. Weirdo Hoe invented type revolving press in 1846 public ledger printed. A pair of wedge shaped rules between columns. The wedges were pushed mechanically form the ends tightening them against type in the column. The type becomes tight enough to be attached to cylindrical press. The press rotates and prints one page a revolution. This pattern prevented the use of multi-column headlines because the wedges were going between columns. In 1854, stereotyping began to be used. In this process, each page, after made-up, transfers the impression on a piece of paper heavy substance. This is again stereotyped pouring lead on to it (curved shape). When the lead cools, it becomes a curved shape printing plate. This plate is fixed on the allotted slot (page Nos) in the rotary. When it starts printing, the speed is 10,000 copies an hour and now, with modification, the rotary can print one lakh copies and hour. But it took a long time for newspapers to adopt multi-column headlines and horizontal make-up pattern. Many were reluctant to change to new and modern pattern. Design guides the reader through the contents of a page indicating importance of information, on graded form and develops an emotional bond by its visual personality. This helps reader to stick to a particular paper. Because of numerous newspapers and TV channels giving stiff challenge, the print media started paying more attention to design or make-up to sustain not only emotional bond but also to lure advertisers by their display. TV has more reach because of its impact of sight, sound and motion. But it has its disadvantages :

3 It demands audience concentration while it gives out the message.

There is every chance of distraction or disturbance which makes it difficult to understand the information. In the presentation of specialised information on certain important and topical topics, the TV is found lacking in depth treatment. TV cannot be programmed to suit the convenience of the viewers. The latter has to sit before the TV for the news. Once the viewer misses something, he has to wait endlessly to get at it.

54 Dummy sheets or Layout Sheets are needed to prepare the design for display of the selected elements on the page. The grid with scale (0-54 and 54-0) is marked so that it is easy to place the items after calculating its length either vertically or horizontally. The ad space precludes the designer from encroaching on it. The remainder space available (editorial space) available will give the designer the chance for creativity. The end result is that if it is attractive and informative, readers acknowledge it and appreciate it and stick to the paper. Newspapers, like other commodities, become stale if not consumed immediately particularly in modern days where 54 there is constant competition. Unless the contents and the way they are emphasised are given good attention, the reader may shift to another which meets his expectations.

4 Some of the elements for design are : harmony, eye movement, and unity. Harmony results from choice of type style (same variety) for text. As for eye movement, one can conveniently say that the eye first goes to the optical centre of the page. This space, as concluded from surveys, is at the top left corner of the page. Without ignoring this fact, newspapers opt for different displays lest the pages look alike. Unity relates to avoiding heading clash, ie, two headlines come close to each other it is said : Do not bump heads. Unity is achieved by grouping all elements of a story, having a rule around the story etc. These elements can best be displayed by vertical or horizontal make-up. Two broad terms are formal and informal balance. In the informal balance pattern, strong elements are placed on one side of the page, say, near the top. This is offset by putting other strong elements on the other side of the page either towards the bottom or near the middle. The formal balance is one where half of the page folds over and the other half matches this. Types of Make-Up Brace : This is a concentration of elements on the upper right corner. It appears like a closet shelf brace. This is not in use. Magazine : It is great because it is effective. However, the make-up is skin-deep and it fails to sustain the readers interest. Circus : This has huge headlines, colour type, heavy art, assorted gimmicks in the top half of the page. It gives the feeling of excitement wherever one looks. Modular : A rectangle shape is given to each story. All stories on the page are fitted this way. One story does not wrap around another. It has a module where all legs or columns of the story are of the same height. The disadvantage is in fitting the copy especially if it is very long. Tabloid : This has nameplate on Page 1 and a big headline. The story that appeals most and spreading that all over the front page is its character. Thus it earns the name of sensational. The headline shouts.

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