6

Page planning and design

IF YOU examine closely the pages of your local paper — or any other newspaper — you will become aware that they have focal points, or areas that attract the eye on first turning to them. These focal points are created by the deliberate use of type and pictures to form a Mud of pattern, the aim of which is first to grab the reader’s attention and then to guide the reader through the contents of the page.

You will notice that one of the stories is given a bigger headline and frequently more space than the other stories on the page, creating an immediate focus for the eye. This story is known as the page lead. The main picture on the page likewise demands the eye’s attention. The second most important story, the half-lead, ...

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