When it comes to print media, a lot of people have probably put two-and-two together that the size and number of pages in the publication is directly proportional to the dollars invested – either through advertising sold, or through direct investment…. from… investors…… :|

What some people don’t realize about print media is that changing the number pages in your publication is an entirely different process – you can’t just add a couple extra pages if you feel like it, they have to be added in batches.

Back at Carleton university when I was the production manager at the school newspaper – The Charlatan – it wasn’t much of challenge to add pages – namely because they could be added in batches of four (or two as a special insert, though this was rare): what is typically known as a “half-signature” (a standard “signature” being 8-pages). Unfortunately, flash-forward a few years and when the typically 16-page t.o.night Newspaper wants to bump up a couple pages we’re restricted to the full signature due to the kind of printing press that we use.

And for an editorial team of 3, that kinda changes things on tight deadline turn-around.

Ad ratios at t.o.night have been growing steadily over the past year – with many Thursday issues reaching just shy of the ideal parity of half ads/half editorial content. This Thursday was slightly different, with a few last minute ad insertions coming in the day before, enabling and pretty much requiring the bump up to a 24-page issue.

That’s a lot of content to edit at 6am :\

I have to say though, I really enjoy the feel of the 24-page issue: it’s noticeably thicker, and suggests a better breadth of news coverage upon first flipping through it. Word these days though is that this might soon start happening every Thursday….

o__o