While searching for editing and design topics to write about, I decided to check out my local paper from Lyndhurst, NJ, The Record. The story most specific to my area was about the high price of sending packages to American soldiers in Iraq. No doubt about it, this story sits perfectly with the holiday season and probably many other consumers who question the postal service during the holidays.

While the story may have potential for readership, above all, the headline definitely works against it. You can see the online version of the story here. The headline reads, "The High Cost of Supporting the Troops". To me, this article could be any number of things: death rates, expenses of the government, etc. Aside from its lack of originality, it also has a very negative, potentially biased, feel to it. No one likes spending too much money, especially during the holidays, so high costs are always a no-no. Furthermore, support for the troops tends to be universally, if also superficially, supported. So, if high prices are instituted for doing something everyone supports, the headline suggests that the United States Postal Service is doing something wrong by not giving this local American Legion, as well as others, a discount.

Aside from my problem with the headline is the picture that accompanies the online story. It is way too small! What is going on? What are they packing? What do these women look like? From an editing and design point of view, especially online, it makes no sense to me why pictures for The Record could not be bigger to express the tiny details, and maybe strengthen the story. For an example of a newspaper that electronically publishes their stories with good-size photographs check out the New York Times.