Matt Hampel | matth.org

 So, I’ve been taking photos of the front page of the Ann Arbor News for about a week now. Missed a day here and there

I decided to grey out everything that wasn’t actually news. Now, that’s a very subjective decision (sometimes I thoght entertainment pieces were okay, sometimes not) — but I think you’ll be able to pull your own interpretation out of the images.

Some titles have been half-highlighted. That’s because the “News” often uses a massive titling font, eating up 4+ square inches when half the space would do.

30 April: A massive frontpage lead about one gas station? An article about a pig-shaped baloon? A free advertisement for Ben & Jerry’s? (B&Js being a national chain; their next-door competitor, a local shop)

1 May (two days later): Much better! Too much art and too much titling on the fairly useless feature article, though.

2 May: Gigantic movie ad expanding over the banner, maybe 6 to 8 square inches worth of headline. I should have highlighted  the useless center art, too. Newshouse filler piece, local photo also not actual news.

3 May: Actual news!

4 May: I had been removing these promotional stickers that come with our paper. This one stuck around for the photo.

Also featured: massive headlines, other “events”. “Madonna beats sexual clock.” 4 May on the citizen-run ArborUpdate: the city council agenda, and a discussion thereof.

Missed 5 May. (ArborUpdate talked about upcoming school elections)

6 May: HUGE area wasted on headlines, front-page article about someone who built a casket that looks like a can of beer.

7 May: Lots of space wasted to art. Massive headline.

There is a very important, nuanced difference between the News’ headine  and the New York Times headline for the same article:

8 May: 1/2 page Zingerman’s advertisement, etc. etc.

9 May: This is getting depressing. You can read it for yourself.