I love Texans. Got to know many of them well during my five-year stay in Austin. They're unique, outspoken and have hearts as big as the Lone Star State itself. As a Texas sports editor I once worked with would say, "They're a different breed of cat."
And so is UT-Arlington's Shorthorn. It stands out among the current crop of college papers for its clean overall design, sophisticated application of typography and willingness to take the occasional risk. The Shorthorn's front page typically displays a clear hierarchy of the news, varying head sizes and styles while continuing to play photography well.
But I want to use the March 11 issue to discuss an issue that occupies an unhealthy amount of my mental energy: the grid. At first blush, this issue hits most of the highlights I mentioned above. A clearly dominant photo anchors the page and a series of successively smaller heads helps prioritize the news. The typography is for the most part, characteristically clean. But there's an uneasiness to the column widths and text wraps that are the biggest areas for improvement here.
Notice the stacked stories on the right. The column widths shift with each story. It's especially jarring considering the modules are the same width. Same thing goes for the down page strip. I see no real logic to the off grid treatment here (and watch out for that type alignment, too!). This page is one grid away from being a home run. The breakout in the "Home Alone" package is unnecessarily notched, as is the quote with the lede. This page when placed on a strict six-column grid softens all those rough edges quickly and warms the cockles of this grid-o-phile's sad, sad heart.
All that said, this page still has a lot of things going for it. The display package is well done with quiet, effective photography well played. The game info with the hoops story is useful and reader friendly (if off grid). And the heads read well with an authoritative, direct voice. Like most Texans I know.
Keep up the good work you Shorthorns, you. And keep it on the grid!
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Alex Brown struggles daily with mild obsessive compulsive disorder while editing pages in the A section of the Los Angeles Times. This column is really a cry for help.
