In this TED talk, Jacek Utko, a man responsible for redesigning several Eastern European newspapers, makes the case that good design can save the broadsheets. I have heard it argued before, but the visuals in this presentation really nail the point home and this is the first time I have heard it argued persuasively.

Design and layout is getting easier and faster, and there really hasn’t been any innovation in newspaper design in the past 100 years. If a political campaign can turn around a commercial in 4 hours, I don’t see why a newspaper can’t essentially design a magazine every day. I doubt we would see the New York Times doing something like this, because it is so wedded to tradition. But a smaller paper like The Boston Globe (he said hopefully) is in more dire financial straights and more willing to experiment. I would be delighted to pay to get a copy of that to arrive on my doorstep every morning. Information is cheap, but a pleasurable reading experience is something that is still worth paying for.