WSJ publisher attempts to quell readers about changes

Wall Street Journal publisher Gordon Crovitz wrote a letter in Saturday’s paper about the upcoming changes to the business newspaper, which will begin Jan. 2.

Crovitz said, “Some of you wrote to be sure we won’t do anything to reduce the high standards of the Journal. We understand the concern at a time when so many once-authoritative news outlets have fallen to ‘journalism lite,’ with fads and entertainment as news. Rest assured — as others dumb down, we intend to increase the amount of exclusive, highly distinctive coverage in the Journal. We know you seek real substance. Besides, that’s the only kind of journalism we know.

“Others assumed we’d retain our seriousness of purpose, but hoped the Journal would retain its distinctive look. Early focus groups of readers saw prototypes testing significant changes just in case that’s what readers wanted. But as one of my news colleagues said, ‘You asked us to push the design envelope and the envelope pushed back.’ That is, readers and prospective subscribers told us what we hoped to hear: To embrace the iconic Journal and not make change for the sake of change. You won’t find large photos or graphics just to serve design. I hope you’ll agree the new design reinforces the distinctive look of the Journal.

“Some of you were concerned that our added emphasis on ‘what the news means,’ beyond just ‘what happened’ the day before, could result in opinion or speculative analysis replacing even-handed news reporting. Our approach remains rock-solid. We’ll have more exclusive, unique news coverage, but opinion remains the exclusive domain of our editorial pages. Indeed, our efforts to maintain fairness and accuracy have long made the Journal the most trusted publication in the country, according to independent opinion surveys.”

Crovitz finished by saying, “Expect our hallmark to remain unchanged: The seriousness of our journalistic purpose in informing the world’s most discriminating readers, delivering substance and knowledge in an age of often declining standards. For 2007 and beyond, we renew our resolve to deliver real depth and understanding, as the Journal stands apart and often alone.”

Crovitz also revealed some of the new features in the paper. “We’re proud next week to launch new features to help you get the most from the Journal. On the second page of the front section, coverage of the economy will include ‘Today’s Agenda.’ This gives advance notice of news yet to be reported, guiding you to the meaning behind headlines you hear during the day. The new ‘In Brief’ feature will summarize key news of the day on pages focused on particular industries and news topics. We’re adding a new ‘Corporate Focus’ page in the front section. The ‘Pepper…and Salt’ cartoon, a hallmark of the Journal for over 50 years, returns to the editorial page, every day.”

Read more here.