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I think this man has a brilliant point.

I no longer read the paper, as I’m certain the vast majority of you do the same.

However, when I take public transit I have access to two free newspapers that I’ll pick up and read.

One, a simple free paper, with great written articles. I read this one first.

The second one however, has a much more designed look to it. It just looks better – the articles aren’t as great, but I always enjoy reading that paper so much more.

Redesigning the Toronto Star, or the Globe and Mail would revolutionize those newspapers and bring them into a round two.

More Useful + More Relevant + Better Designed = Better Newspaper

That equation works for pretty much people create.

This presentation was excellent.

Mr. Utko’s premise has little to do with its context: newspapers.

He brilliantly and simply makes a wonderful case for the value of design in any context, while sharing some very appealing and technically accomplished layouts.

I love that bit about the designer being part of the entire process. That was quite enjoyable :-)

“To be good, is not enough” – Best quote!

Those newspapers look amazing! It’s too bad our San Francisco newspapers don’t hire decent designers, if they created something like that, I think their impending doom would be diverted.

Personally, I think content above all else will save some newspapers. And the rest should perish anyways.

I think “newspapers” could be fine off if they simply tried.

It was a good presentation that, Mr. Bird summarized correctly, applies to any context.

Regarding the newspaper business specifically, all industries have their cycles of ups and downs. This isn’t the first “refresh” of the newspaper biz, and won’t be the last. I believe a lot of this “newspapers are dead” talk is overhyped.

Nice one! But the guy says he is from a poor country. If it’s Poland it is not true as its 21st economy in the world.

This man is really good.

@Paul: it is now.

Thanks Jacek really good talk.

Awesome. Really enjoyed watching that. I find the short talks TED do much more digestible than anything else I have seen lately (FOWA video). The short form really gets to the point and focuses the talk I guess..

brilliant

So Good! The form accommodates design that technology can not—The 2 page spread combine with the portability of paper. Thanks for posting this.

So the Drudge report is the best designed site on the internet because it has basic text. At the same time, this guy’s awesome because he moved newspapers away from basic text. I’m dizzy.

Form and function Content and design

I don’t know if it’s necessarily because this fellow was a designer

I don’t know if it’s necessarily because this fellow was a designer, but rather because he was asking important questions: what is the purpose? what is our objective? How can we produce a better product? He got a holistic view, and then based his involvement on that view.

So, What are your suggestions on becoming on a “designer” as the video suggests.

The claim that design is enough to save newspapers is oversold, I think. I agree with everything said about design - but this is necessary, not sufficient. The issue is less of readership - more people crave more information - we are struggling as an industry finding reasonable ways to pay for good work, whether by great journalists or great designers. The issue is that the advertising business is going through a cyclical contraction during a structural upheaval, and the business of newspapers can only hope to get half of lost advertising back when the cyclical problems end, and perhaps a third of lost revenues vs. 2005 and before. I’m a big believer in accessibility of information being an important aspect of public good - that means well-designed, well-written (usually free) news and information for as many as possible—but good content and packaging alone (and the reader loyalty these may ensure) will not fix a partially broken business model.

Ditto Sean. Addressing design is addressing the packaging, which is not the product. The product is journalism.

The newspaper industry is failing because it still fails to make the distinction between that product and its packaging - print on sheets of paper stapled together. The sooner the industry gets that distinction, the sooner it can begin to find ways to deliver the product in new (and, yes, well designed please) packaging - the Internet—in a way that supports itself and the function journalism serves.

Amazing what can be achieved by designers when a company leadership has the courage to take risks, and to trust others.

Failing isn’t so bad if it gives you the perspective to do the right thing next.

This is a great video. Actually, every post on Signal versus Noise has been terrific for several days now. The posts have been full of information that I can use. I find myself sending the URLs to my co-workers, which is always the sign of a good post. Since I was critical of some of the motivational/opinion posts lately, I want to say that the posts that offer details about what makes good or bad design are very welcome.

One must remember that newspapers are just a delivery system for content… no different than the internet or TV. Having said that, upgrading both the content and its appearance in an appealing, interesting fashion should and does make a huge difference. Of course with instant everything in the wired world, one would think newspapers are becoming redundant. I, however believe there are those, [a lot of them] who still want more than just a soundbite. They [we] still seek details that cannot be found elsewhere, including the internet whose content is not subject to the same level of fact-checking as mainstream media. If there is any doubt about the need for great design, look no further than the potential for the telephone Yellow Pages.