|
Written by ANGELA KESSLER, Chronicle Editor
|
|
Monday, 24 May 2010 20:41 |
We are approaching the end of the first year since offering the new format of the Catholic Chronicle. As we take our summer break from publishing, we will also be taking a look at ways we can improve the paper and online offerings.
When we introduced the “new” Catholic Chronicle print edition last August, we heard from a lot of you. And we heard that you didn’t like the change. I urged everyone I talked with or exchanged e-mails with to give the new paper a chance and nudged those who didn’t want to read news online to give it a try.
As you may recall, we changed the format and frequency of the paper last year when we our budget needed to be cut. Along with the change in format, staff positions were eliminated and we stopped sending the paper to the home of every household registered at a Catholic parish. The transition has been a challenge, but we have worked hard to bring our readers a print product that is relevant while giving online readers something new every day.
In addition to the news posted online, we (through the talents of Laurie Stevens Bertke) are telling stories in forms other than the written word. If you haven’t seen some of the videos and multimedia presentations Laurie has created and posted at www.catholicchronicle.org, you have really missed out. Make it a point to stop by the site and click on “Multimedia” to see what I’m talking about.
This now marks the 19th issue of the new print edition of the Chronicle — long enough for you to get a feel for what we are trying to do, both in print and online.
So, what do you think?
Do you like the articles we are writing? Do you wish we would cover different stories? Do you like the Q & A feature in each issue? Have you enjoyed the centenary features each issue? What parts of the paper do you always read and what parts do you always skip? What do you think we should we change in the print edition and why?
We will also be looking at our Web site and making adjustments to the site over the summer. Changes to meet readers’ needs here is a little easier to determine. Statistics show us the columnists are popular reads and the “Around the Diocese” section is popular. Those online also check the “Marketplace” listings frequently to find businesses and to read classified ads that don’t always make it in the print edition.
The number of people visiting www.catholicchronicle.org continues to grow every month. In April (the last full month statistics are available), the site logged 51,383 visits and 250,342 page views. To translate, that means those people visiting our site are not stopping by and moving on — they are staying to look at and read nearly five pages each visit.
We will be working this summer to make the site easier to navigate. What do you have trouble finding on the site? What sections do you like? Would you like to see more coverage of a certain area?
Your comments are always welcome. Feel free to call me at 419-244-6711, ext. 131. Or write your comments and send them to editor@toledodiocese.org or mail to Catholic Chronicle, 1933 Spielbusch Ave., Toledo, OH 43604-5360.
|
|
Last Updated on Monday, 24 May 2010 20:55 |
