The Dorking Ad in tabloid
I picked up the Dorking Advertiser today and I must say it looks really wierd. It is just that it has been in the broadsheet format since its inception. My experience was slightly marred as I opened the paper a few pages in and was met with the sight of a large picture of a Durex packet which made me immediately assume tabloid content too.
Thankfully this is not the case and really it is just the same paper in a smaller, more compact size. Hopefully we will retain some of the charm, even though I agree with some posts on here that its recent content is much more geographically widespread and often contains articles that have no relevance to the local reader. I think that readership will drop if this continues.
Any views on the Dorking Ad's format and recent content would be welcome....
posted by The Cockerel @ 12:58 AM
6 Comments:
I do not like the 'new look' Dorking Advertiser at all. Maybe it was the copy I picked up from the newspaper but, a lot of the photographs are really out of focus. I also found the print very hard to read and my father had great difficulty reading the articles as the typeface was very small. I also found it very hard to find certain sections ie. the letters page, the yesterday year column, the job section etc. I also agree there were quite a few articles that did not even pertain to Dorking. All in all, I found to be a real disappointment.
Maybe, the Advertiser will get better with time. I will persist it for the time being. To be quite honest, this blog gives us a lot more news, views and comments from the town. I also found there was a lot of frivilous articles like the one year anniversary of the Dorking Cockerel etc. I feel that the Advertiser is certainly on a cost cutting measure, as it was recently taken over by the same people as the Surrey Mirror (Reigate and Redhill's local paper).
I also agree with The Cockerel, and would be very interested on the opinions of the rest of the bloggers, on the 'new look' Advertiser??
DORKING Dan
I can't believe the fuss! It's just a change you'll have to get used to - and you will. It worked for The Times, it will work for the Ad too! It's really not that big a deal. It will be much easier to handle surely?
It is much better. I think it is high time that the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser's were consigned to the scrapheap for good. It would be in everybodies interest if it was renamed the Mole Valley Advertiser. I would prefer to see what was going in the district rather than in the local vicinity. For instance the billionaire's death never made it into the Dorking Advertiser. Also there was an armed bank robbery at the HSBC bank in Leatherhead on Wednesday. Again, I doubt that will make it into our paper. Saying that, the tabloid version is a lot easier to read. It appears that Dorking Dan got a dud version. You should ask for a refund (55 pence) from the Advertiser's office in South Street, if you are that dissatisfied. It is progress.
Apologies that my comments have made me sound like Victor Meldrew. I am generally quite positive about most things, even in Dorking. Over the last couple of years my posts on this blog have generally focused on new retail openings, new restaurants, the beauty of Dorking and the importance of the independent shops. I have also slammed the mismanagement of St. Martin's Walk and have queried on a number of occasions why Dorking is not promoted more as a tourist destination. Don't forget that the Surrey Hills, Denbies Wine Estate, Box Hill, as well as, a number of beautiful villages are all on our doorstep. Dorking is blessed with some very good restaurants and pubs. Most importantly, Dorking is not perceived as a clone town. So, I apologise to the anonymous poster who felt that my comments were very negative in tone.
With regards to the new format of the Dorking Advertiser, I will hold judgement for the next couple of weeks, to see if I can get used of it. Nichola, I am a Times reader and did in fact whinge when the Times moved to a tabloid size. After a few weeks, I completely forgot that it used to be a broadsheet. Thankfully, The Times did not compromise on its quality of news reporting and still devotes a lot of quality journalism to international, business and sport stories. I really just hope that the Advertiser can do the same and not compromise on the quality of its journalism!
DORKING Dan
I like the tabloid size Advertiser much better. There is much more news and it is far easier to read. ~AP~
I am sorry that DORKING Dan and anonymous were disappointed with the Dorking Advertiser - but am encouraged by the more positive comments.
Without boring you with too much detail, the switch to compact coincided with a systems change-over, which caused us extra problems - such as the typeface being too small, and the photos being blurry. We hope these problems have been ironed out for tomorrow's edition and will continue to keep an eye on them.
With regard to the stories we cover - please let us know if you think there's something we've missed. Unfortunately we can't be everywhere at once and so rely on people like you to alert us to news and events so we can investigate on your behalf!
Pippa
Dorking Advertiser News Ed
01306 886760
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