Besieged By The Graphics Community

From time to time, the Romenesko media site stirs up discussion by linking to columns by Gilbert Cranberg. Cranberg, a former newspaper editorial page editor, likes to opine about how The New York Times and other papers poorly serve their readers by running visuals too big. They're wasting space that could be filled with words!

In his most recent column, Cranberg laments the fact that some illustrations have little or no educational value, ponders where in heaven's name readers are supposed to find access to computers, and notes that the last time he wrote about this subject he was "booed by the 'graphics community.'"

There seems but one appropriate response:

Also, I'm reminded of another opinionated newsman by the name of T. Herman Zweibel.

Comments

[Jeffrey Weiss]

I will note that some of the funniest stuff in the Onion includes the fake graphics that lampoon the many useless but all-too-similar versions in the "real" media. Perhaps you could create a sliver up there for room to admit that too many graphics take up space far beyond that which any calculus based on information or even aesthetics can justify? And before the troll-killers come out: I'm not attacking all graphics. Some are terrific. But some seem to exist because they can.

[mark lindsey]

I say nothing is as worthless as editorial blather, about as useful as movie reviewers. You may be qualified to report the news to me, but your opinion you can keep to yourself.

If you want more room in the NEWSpaper, then get rid of editorial!

[Kevin Coughlin]

Just WHO the HELL is gil cranberg anyway? (note the use of lower case type of a proper noun, done intentionally) NEWS FLASH: PHOTOS and GRAPHICS draw readers' attention to your WORDS! As dull and uninforming as they may be.

[Robert Gieske]

It's true that too many newspaper graphics are there because art is needed on the page and there's no photo around. They serve as decoration, part of a vain attempt to make print news as entertaining as TV news. The same is true of the little six pica headshots of already familiar faces that go in stories. But the grossest cases of graphics abuse are on the net, where photos are shrunk to pinhead size and serve the function of bullets in typography.