Below is a list of just some of the special projects I have worked on for The Morning Call and The Mercury.
The challenge was how to create a unique look for an occasional series of stories using The Morning Call's content management system and restricted website layouts. I decided upon a sparse story gallery layout that was easily navigable, and enhanced article pages with larger main art and videos than the traditional article on the site. Use of the CMS and simple style also means any editor in the newsroom can easily edit or add to the microsite.
This ongoing series advocates healthy living among Pottstown area residents and includes information on healthy eating, gardening and exercise, and how-to videos. I created a WordPress microsite (https://pottsmercfit4life.wordpress.com) to better display the content. This site is still in use by The Mercury.
This series focused on how digital products and social media were changing how news was gathered and delivered at The Mercury, and showed that newspapers weren't just about print.
Using Wix, I designed this splash page (www.pottstownmercury.wix.com/changingtimes). The idea was a visual feast of offerings available to modern news consumers. I took the photos and meshed them and created a click map that took readers through to different topics in the series.
For those readers not accustomed to splash pages, or who might be unfamiliar with a clickable image, I also included a menu with links. I chose the fonts for the headline based on the traditional Times newspaper font and something different and more modern for the word "changing."
An editor's personal connection to a family devastated by heroin abuse led to this series, which many in the community said was insightful since it showed a side of heroin abuse that was rarely talked about -- its effects on the families of drug addicts. I assisted in developing the focus of the series with the Editor in Chief, and created the microsite using Blogger which serves as the clearinghouse for all stories in the series, as well as videos, reader perspectives and resources for those seeking help.
While The Mercury was not the first organization to use the social media site Pinterest in this way, it had great success with helping the local police departments find and bring to justice wanted criminals in this manner.
Confronting an Epidemic
Fit for Life
Changing Times
Using Wix, I designed this splash page (www.pottstownmercury.wix.com/changingtimes). The idea was a visual feast of offerings available to modern news consumers. I took the photos and meshed them and created a click map that took readers through to different topics in the series.
For those readers not accustomed to splash pages, or who might be unfamiliar with a clickable image, I also included a menu with links. I chose the fonts for the headline based on the traditional Times newspaper font and something different and more modern for the word "changing."
Heroin: Fatal Addiction
An editor's personal connection to a family devastated by heroin abuse led to this series, which many in the community said was insightful since it showed a side of heroin abuse that was rarely talked about -- its effects on the families of drug addicts. I assisted in developing the focus of the series with the Editor in Chief, and created the microsite using Blogger which serves as the clearinghouse for all stories in the series, as well as videos, reader perspectives and resources for those seeking help.