Dear Readers:
Dr. Ink raises this question: If journalists can do something great on occasion, why don’t we do it more often? This question is inspired by the special coverage produced for the anniversary of Sept. 11. The St. Pete Times‘ 12-page section, “Echoes of Loss,” was simply brilliant, an example of the best that can happen when journalistic talent, sound judgment, and news opportunity converge.
How special is this section? Let Doc count the ways:
1. Stunning photographs, played large.
2. Great balance between color images and black and white.
3. Larger and more readable type than usual.
4. Generous white space, airing out the grief.
5. Excellent use of quotes, selected from wise figures and players on the ground.
6. Healthy balance between images from America and those from abroad.
7. Two full towers of text listing the names of the dead.
8. A moving and beautifully written narrative on the back page by Tom Drury, tracking down the story behind an artifact found near Ground Zero.
9. No jumps.
10. No ads.
Great photography, fine storytelling, imaginative design, experimental content and presentation. To its credit, the St. Pete Times often shines in these categories. But Dr. Ink is left to wonder why the tools of experimentation, sharpened for special occasions, can’t be used more routinely.
