The redesign is the result of a month-long consultation with readers who provided feedback to Editor Ali Machray via the Twitter hashtag #TellAli, the Echo’s website, and hundreds of letters, say publishers Trinity Mirror.
Six major themes emerged. Readers want less crime news, more reporting on things to do in the city, and improved Everton FC coverage.
They want a positive image of the city and a paper that looks as bright and as modern as Liverpool feels. Finally, they want the Echo to tighten up on mistakes. These have all been incorporated into the new Liverpool Echo.
The Echo’s vibrant design showcases all the city of Liverpool has to offer in an easier to read and more attractive package. Visuals will become more dominant on pages and the colour scheme much brighter.
Aligned with the modern design, there will more emphasis on what’s going on in the arts and culture sectors. For example, a first-rate daily listings service will feature at the front of the paper.
Capitalising on the feel-good factor across Liverpool is another key aim, with the paper looking to promote the successes of the city. Other content changes include a promise of improved coverage of Everton FC and less reliance on front-page crime splashes.
Ali Machray said: “We set out by asking ourselves what the people of Liverpool really want from their Echo.
“The way our readers consume media has changed dramatically since the turn of the century, and we know the Echo has to adapt to survive.
“Our design and reporting structures came from an era when the city was down on its luck and was based on telling lots of bad news stories.
“21st century Liverpool has evolved into a huge success story. The city has so much to offer, and the Echo needs to reflect that.
“The #TellAli campaign told us all we needed to know with thousands of people helping us shape the newspaper’s future. As a journalist of 36 years, I was touched by the number of people who showed they really cared about their paper.
“It’s been a fantastic effort by everyone involved and I’m delighted that the new Echo is hitting the streets today.
“The work doesn’t stop here though,” he added, “the Echo will continue to evolve to reader’s tastes and to the modern, magnificent Liverpool we live in.”
