Newspaper typography
Search Google and there is surprisingly little online about newspaper typography. Narrow the search to “serif v sans serif” and you get a lot more results, like a flame war between Microsoft and Linux.
The most cited reference for “newspaper typography” is a 2004 study revealing the top 10 fonts used in American newspapers.
After Franklin Gothic, Times, Century and Helvetica other popular fonts include Poynter, Futura, Utopia, Nimrod, Bureau and Interstate, the study said.
Variations of the first four would comprise the most widely used headline fonts today in Australian newspapers.
I’m going to make a big statement here and say it doesn’t really matter; that content is more important than fonts.
I’ll qualify that by adding an ugly layout would obviously dissuade readers, but the difference between a well laid-out page using serif headlines compared with sans serif is marginal at best.
Peter Cho wrote this article in 1997 and it rings true today:
Which do you prefer, sans serif or serif, is a difficult question to answer, especially since comparing the two is like pitting apples against oranges — sure, they’re both fruits, and you can make them into juice, and they go into fruit salad, but would you ever bake an orange turnover or peel an apple with your fingers?
He concludes: “In other words, each is suited to its own purposes. One thing I do not prefer, however, is the semi-serif or semi-sans type face. It’s a hybrid compromise with the benefits of neither and the disadvantages of both.”
Populist tabloid newspapers in Australia almost universally use thick sans serif fonts such as Franklin Gothic heavy.
Broadsheets and “serious” tabloids are more likely to use serif headlines. The Financial Review is a neatly presented tabloid using serif fonts.
For a country paper I lean towards sans serif for headings. Pages are generally tighter with advertising than the Fin Review and I think the blend between news and ads is better with sans serif fonts. That’s a personal view and I have no evidence to support it.
When it comes to body text there is really no argument that serif is better. Books are printed with serif fonts and readers are familiar with that for standard-size text.
Arial or Helvetica is more legible for small text such as sporting results and stock market reports.
Alex Poole quotes research saying there is no difference between font families for legibility. However, I think it’s a case of using the familiar because that’s what people are comfortable with.
I’m not a design expert, but when subbing pages I expect to conform with a consistent style. I like using images, quotes and graphics to break up slabs of text.
My rule of thumb regarding the redesign of newspapers is don’t go there unless you have a compelling reason. If the paper is travelling well and popular in its market, don’t make any substantial changes that could potentially unsettle readers.
If the paper is struggling there may be an argument for introducing a fresh look.
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I’ve been reading the Adelaide Advertiser lately for the first time since it became a tabloid.
They use an interesting mix of sans serif lead headlines and serif subheads and secondary headlines.
Personally, I don’t think it works.