On April 13, 2004, the first issue of the totally redesigned Jordan Times hit the newsstands. This is a project I have been leading for the past few months and that I consider a milestone in my design experience and a key project for my company, SYNTAX.
I will be posting images and information related to the project soon. For now, I am happy to report that the reaction from readers has been overwhelmingly supportive and positive. I am posting a few Letter to the Editor which the paper has received over the past few days, staring with the letter of Mr William F. Lee, who was the paper’s editor for 1978-1981. That one really made my day!

‘A delight’

Let me be among the first, I hope, to congratulate on the brilliant redesign of The Jordan Times that debuted today, April 13, 2004.

It is a delight to see that Ahmad Humeid and his team have worked the same magic on the daily paper that they have previously applied to the Weekender, one of the most attractive and readable weekend supplements of any paper I know.

Your new design is crisp, clean, user-friendly and enticing to the reader, which is everything a newspaper should be. While, on the one hand, I am a bit sad to note the retirement of the successor version of the front-page banner that first appeared under my stewardship of the paper nearly 25 years ago, I am at the same time delighted to find a “25 Years Ago” feature on page 2, which will, I hope, bring back many memories from the early days of The Jordan Times and, indeed, of English-language daily journalism in Jordan.

May I wish you all the greatest success with your new look. The Jordan Times website has already attracted a worlwide audience of people who care about Jordan and the Middle East. I am sure your splendid new design will help to put the daily paper itself on the world media map as well.

Congratulations again, and good luck with this beautiful new product.

William F. Lee, (editor, The Jordan Times, 1978-1981),
Coordinator & Representative UNRWA Headquarters,
Amman

 
‘More cheerful and clearer’

I really like the new issue. It is more cheerful with many photos in it. Even the printing seems clearer.

Well done The Jordan Times and everybody who is behind the new production. You have hit it right.

Akef Adib Qusous,
Amman

 
‘Appreciated’

I felt that I should congratulate you on the new design and tell you how much I appreciate your efforts. I love it!

Keep up the good work.

Anna Maria,
Amman

I want to extend my congratulations to you on an absolutely superb improvement in the layout and design of The Jordan Times.

I have been a subscriber for four years, and I can sense a much greater degree of prfessionalism in your work. Very well done!

Reading my morning paper has now become a much more pleasant experience.

J. Paul Tanner,
Academic Dean,
JETS,
Amman