Four newspapers have been crowned "World's Best Designed" by a panel of judges at the 28th annual The Best of Newspaper Design Creative Competition of the Society for News Design (SND). The winners are: Äripev (Tallinn, Estonia); El Economista (Madrid, Spain); Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (Frankfurt, Germany); and Politiken (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Meeting at Syracuse University in New York, the judges selected the winners from 351 entries representing dozens of countries. The judges evaluated newspaper issues published in 2006. The judges have awarded more than 1,700 individual awards in the competition.
The judges said in a statement, “We saw a lot of great individual pages; the challenge was to find excellence from cover to cover. We learned that a significant percent — even among high circulation dailies — neglected basic typography. That is a real concern. In the end, we chose four very different newspapers that excelled above all others. We found elegance, visual virtuosity, raw energy, grit and innovation.”
According to unaudited return at the judging site in Syracuse, the top winners in all categories from the 28th Best of Newspaper Design:
- The New York Times (and its magazines)
- Los Angeles Times (and its magazine)
- Excelsior
- Hartford Courant
- San Jose Mercury News
- The Boston Globe (and its magazine)
- The South Florida Sun-Sentinel
- La Presse
- The (Cleveland) Plain-Dealer
- El Mundo (and its magazines)
About Äripev, the judges said, “The paper is everything but business as usual. Dynamic, playful, and full of energy. Äripev feels much more open and spacious than its physical size. Typographic layering and a full range of scaling — all from one family of fonts — provides interest, movement and vitality. Double page spreads dominate. So does a subtle palette of blues, greys, and olive greens. We love the use of “pink” space and the sense of volume and pacing throughout. This paper has rhythm. Play on.” Äripev is published from Talinn in Estonia and has a circulation of 25,600.
On El Economista, the judges said it “should appeal to everyone – not just business junkies.” They said, “This very visual paper is well-printed, well-crafted, crisp and clean. Graphics and illustrations are a distinctive strength – from section fronts to inside pages. Typography is modern, with a classical feel. Colour accentuates rather than dominates.” El Economista is a relatively new paper and is published from Madrid, Spain, and has a circulation of less than 20,000.
The judges said about Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, “From classically formed fonts to dominating visuals, the Frankfurter Allgemeine exudes beauty, overwhelming beauty. This is a masterfully designed, visually intelligent publication. Turning the pages of this paper – with its great expanses of white – is like walking through a gallery that’s filled with sophisticated photography, sensuous illustrations, and damn-near-perfect typography. There are surprises and special treats, too. Like graphic novel treatments and illustrations on the TV page. Clearly aimed for an educated audience, this paper is filled with nuance, it doesn’t shout – it illuminates.” Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung is published from Frankfurt, Germany, and has a circulation of around 256, 000.
Politiken, the judges noted, “has an agenda and something to say. Visually visceral, Politiken communicates with a variety of voices – sometimes raspy, ocsasionally delicate but always strong. There’s a mood and intention throughout – from the elegant opinion pages, and evocative full-width documentary photographs to the pure red navigational tools and heavy black, poster-like nameplate. There’s nothing timid about this paper.” Politiken is published from Copenhagen, Denmark, and has a circulation of 170,000.
