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Cover of Wednesday's Washington Post sports section

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Mr. X, Oct 2, 2019.

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  1. Mr. X

    Mr. X Active Member

    There's a debate online about the cover of Wednesday's Washington Post sports section, specifically whether the Washington Mystics in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals should have been played on top.

    One former Washington journalist called the injury to WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne, "The most consequential thing that happened in DC sports last night."

    I think the Washington Nationals victory in the National League wild card game was "the most consequential thing that happened in DC sports last night." I also think there is a lot more interest in the Nationals than the Mystics. The local TV ratings will demonstrate that.
     
    Mr. X, Oct 2, 2019
    #1
  2. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    Such a dumb and pointless debate when this is what the section looks like.

     
    Double Down, Oct 2, 2019
    #2
    MNgremlin likes this.
  3. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    The large hed and photo should be above the WNBA story, in my humble.

    I wouldn't lose sleep over it as a reader, but I also don't think the WaPo is doing the print product a service if that is really its news / design judgment.
     
    The Big Ragu, Oct 2, 2019
    #3
    wicked likes this.
  4. Twirling Time

    Twirling Time Well-Known Member

    It’s really a no-win situation.
     
    Twirling Time, Oct 2, 2019
    #4
    Danwriter and tapintoamerica like this.
  5. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    What's A1 look like? If you have a big photo of the Nats below the masthead and a tease to the WNBA on a skybox - seems about right.
     
    DanOregon, Oct 2, 2019
    #5
    Danwriter likes this.
  6. CD Boogie

    CD Boogie Well-Known Member

    Wilbon was ripping Kornheiser bc Tony didn't even stay up to watch the Nats' comeback. Now there's a line where "You got to be kidding me" actually applies.

    The WNBA is in the finals and a star went down. The Nats won a wild card game. They keep winning, they'll maybe get bumped up...
     
    CD Boogie, Oct 2, 2019
    #6
    BrendaStarr likes this.
  7. JimmyHoward33

    JimmyHoward33 Well-Known Member

    Whats the WNBA teams attendance? Local tv rating? If its dwarved by the Nats, its not the lead story, no matter what round it is.

    Is top of the page still the number story, though? Our layout is often pigeonholed into the “centerpiece/slammerhead” template which more often than not puts biggest story in the middle of the page.

    That’s what I see here. These days our “stripped across top” story is seldom the most important one. Thems the breaks in 2019. Rules evolve.
     
    JimmyHoward33, Oct 2, 2019
    #7
    SFIND and BurnsWhenIPee like this.
  8. Mr. X

    Mr. X Active Member

    It plays in a 4,200-seat arena so it can't be that high.
     
    Mr. X, Oct 2, 2019
    #8
  9. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    It's utterly insane to be having a debate about newspaper layout in 2019. Not to mention the fact that you have to lay out the paper before events actually end, delegating space when you don't know the outcome. The Post reserves 2/3 of the page for D.C.'s biggest sports story, runs two stories and a huge piece of art dedicated to that story (not to mention the fact the Nats were teased on 1A with a photo and the Mystics were not) and there are still complaints that the print readers were wronged by the Mystics getting 200 words across the top of the Sports page. Insane.
     
    Double Down, Oct 2, 2019
    #9
    JackReacher, I Should Coco, cake in the rain and 5 others like this.
  10. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I don't think they helped it with the layout, having the Nats hed below the photo, near the bottom of the page.

    Maybe I don't read the way most people do, but when I looked at the whole page for the first time, my eye really went to the WNBA hed first, before making its way down.

    I get that the idea was probably for the Nats to dominate the page -- hopefully it was, or else it was pretty bad judgment by someone. I just didn't think they acheived that.

    That's not saying that print readers were wronged, which is a bit strong if Kornheiser or anyone else believes that, FWIW.

    I also don't think its insane to point it out, though. What may have been the biggest moment in Nats history should have been played in a way that more clearly put it ahead of Game 2 of the WNBA finals.
     
    The Big Ragu, Oct 2, 2019
    #10
  11. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    Sorry, but I do not think this reflects modern thinking in any way, shape or form. The WNBA was not placed "ahead" of the Nats in any way of thinking that exists beyond about 2012.
     
    Double Down, Oct 2, 2019
    #11
  12. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    Could someone kindly post a photo of this page so the rest of us can see what we're talking about?
     
    Doc Holliday, Oct 2, 2019
    #12
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