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Regional press news - this story published 17 March 2010

Johnston Press begins rollout of new-look websites

by HoldtheFrontPage Staff

Local newspaper publisher Johnston Press has begun the rollout of its new-look websites.

The Grantham Journal and Peterborough's Evening Telegraph are both sporting the revamped online offerings and inviting readers to have their say on the new sites.

The sites have a new colour scheme with whites and greys and the blue or white navigation menu bar which previously contained many links has been replaced with a simplified version.

Both the Journal and Evening Telegraph now have just four links in their main navigation menu – news, sport, lifestyle and community – each of which offers a drop down with several links to other news areas of the site.

There is still a comment facility under stories which requires pre-registration.

The compact three-column structure in the news headline section of the homepage now has wider headlines and synopses with more room for larger photographs.

The group's plans for its websites were highlighted in a paragraph in its end-of-year results published last week.

"During the year, the decision was made to cease development of our own internet solutions and replace some offerings by purchasing software or licensing complete solutions," it stated.

"A new editorial content management system (CMS) has been purchased to replace in-house developed software. The editorial system was implemented in two of our divisions by the year-end.

"Similarly, our first upgraded website utilising the new content management system is available for customers to use. Both projects will be rolled out across the entire business during 2010."

HTFP has asked Johnston Press for more information about the rollout but no-one had responded at the time of writing.

The new-look Grantham Journal and Evening Telegraph websites:

And how the rest of JP's websites currently look:

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Paul (17/03/2010 09:32)
Lordy, that's rubbish and full of bugs.

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Nobby Fernnandez (17/03/2010 09:45)
Yup. A total mess. Think I'll buy the paper instead...

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outofit (17/03/2010 09:58)
Over the past few years JP have brought in two new editorial systems...without consulting journalists. Now they have brought in a new website system. Wonder if they asked readers what they want?

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Kate (17/03/2010 10:31)
At the risk of being unpopular, I think the change is an improvement and well overdue. The old style websites are confusing, too busy and difficult to navigate. The new design looks a lot clearer and more inviting.

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Daz (17/03/2010 13:53)
Ouch not nice. Need to do much better if they expect people to pay for their website content. A lot of the homebrew hyperlocal stuff looks better than this.

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Lily (17/03/2010 16:13)
If this is the improved format, I dread to think what the sites looked like before. Looks like the result of a GCSE Computer Science project...vile...

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F.Johnston (17/03/2010 16:43)
The sites are truly hideous, and there is no opportunity to comment unless you sign in. How many people are going to bother doing that? The drop down menus at the top are ghastly. The fewer sections are probably because JP has sacked a large proportion of its staff.

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FAST WOMAN (17/03/2010 17:14)
Having been on a tour of the old and new sites, I'd say the latest look is an improvement although the greyish condensed bodytext should be reconsidered. But all that's subjective - online or in print are just the current methods of delivery. It's the substance of what you deliver that counts - and that you can make money from it. While the big regional groups continue to pursue business models aimed at jacking the bottom line in the short to mid-term all such endeavours are just papering over the cracks. Depleted editorial staffs are producing weaker content and too many of the most talented, not just in the newsroom, have moved on. It's not quite deckchairs and the Titanic.... but getting there.

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Subbie (17/03/2010 17:33)
Dreadful layout, depressing colours and the readers hate it, if the numerous comments on the Peterborough site are anything to go by. It looks as though it has been knocked up by a teenager in his bedroom using an off-the-peg package. What we have now across the rest of JP isn't very good but it's a great deal better than this effort. Shall we go for version 2.1 chaps?

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FAST WOMAN (18/03/2010 12:59)
Oh come on people, the new look and navigation is not that vile. It's about 5/10, a low pass, so pretty much par for the course by current industry standards. Every time a regional group 'relaunches' its websites or papers I'm reminded of some struggling 2nd Division football team introducing a third kit in dodgy colours in the hope of attracting new sponsors. Meanwhile, the results on the pitch remain dire and the fanbase dwindles.

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