Change of Face

There's an article in today's Times Magazine about the change in typeface for road signs around the country, a phenomenon I've noticed—and one I applaud. You can watch an interesting slideshow about it here. (I think the Times has finally gotten rid of their ridiculous "Times Select" thing, so you should be able to view it even if you're not a subscriber.) However, I could find no mention anywhere about the change in typeface in the Times Book Review, which I noticed immediately this morning, and with displeasure.

This is the old typeface, from last week:

and here's the new one, from this week:

I apologize for the lousy photos, but maybe you can get the idea. I wonder why they changed it. The old one was much easier on the eyes.

Comments

[Elena]

I haven't looked at this week's Book Review yet. Did they reduce the width of the pages as they did w/ the rest of the paper this week? That might account for it. But I agree. I prefer the old typeface.

[Karen]

There still seems to be the same three 2-5/8" columns across in the Book Review.

[Going Like Sixty]

Count the number of words in your sample. Notice the space between lines. Cut down the size of the paper but cramming in more words.
I would say too from your sample that they even have reduced the space between letters.

[Joel]

My wife and I were fascinated by the font change on the highway signs. I first noticed it about 6 months ago outside Erie PA on my way to Cleveland. I have friends who are font designers, so I'm particularly attuned to this, and my wife does web based communications, so we have plenty to talk about font-wise.

I noticed the change in the Book Review also. I wonder if it has anything to do with the paper going to the smaller tabloid format? The NYT does crazy stuff like leaving the right edge of the articles ragged if it is an opinion piece, but justified if it is a straight news piece. However, that only applies to the print edition, not the web site. Couldn't be clearer. Sheesh.