Editor's Note

The People Have Spoken

As some of you have noticed already, the last few issues of the Weekly, we've been trying out some design changes—a more readable font, better use of photos, a few things moving around. Honestly, some sort of print redesign was a long time coming for us, even prior to the sale, simply because any publication needs to take a look at how best to present information every few years.

And, yes, I've heard a few complaints. The ads haven't always been next to the content they probably should be (working on it!), the listings have been in some strange places (working on it!), and, yes, a few of you reached out to mention that you missed the editor's note. So, here you go. My last minute musings have returned.

However, the complaint I've heard a few times which is most troubling is the perception that the redesign is a turn towards the Weekly becoming an entertainment-focused publication. While arts, film, music and other assorted "things to do" have and always will be a big part of what the Weekly is about, as far as I'm concerned, news and politics are just as important to our mission. That hasn't changed at all and how we can best do that sort of coverage is on my mind a lot. Ask my wife. I talk about this sort of thing WAY TOO MUCH.

Yes, that sort of coverage is time-consuming and sometimes inexpensive, but the Tucson Weekly simply wouldn't be the same without smart writers and reporters doing great work trying to help readers make sense of what's happening in Tucson and statewide. But, since that's something I/we take seriously, the mix of "hard" and "soft" news will be something we discuss in editorial meetings in the coming weeks. However, know that there's a lot of political coverage coming up as the primary and general elections come up this year and Mari Herreras always has great stories she's working on.

We can always do better and I think the redesign (and some of the new features, like this week's Nine on the Line and Cinema Showdown) reflect that quest to do better. The challenge is making sure nothing else gets lost in the process.