Thad Ogburn, the features editor at the Raleigh News & Observer, has announced the results of their comic poll that they ran back in November. Nearly 8,000 votes were cast and the paper has decided to expand its offerings by adding six new features and bringing back three previously dropped features to their current line up.
Adding comics wasn’t our original plan when we conducted a reader comics poll last month. We thought we might add three strips and lose three. But then we saw the overwhelming response to the survey — 7,910 votes online and by paper ballot.
You folks care — and care deeply — about your comics. So, we thought, why not just add more?
Starting January 14, the paper will be adding the following new comics: Tundra, F-Minus, Candorville, Sherman’s Lagoon, Mallard Fillmore, and Mother Goose and Grimm and bringing back some previously dropped features: Cathy, Hagar the Horrible and Drabble.
One change to the comics page is a new grouping of features.
We’ll also be rearranging the comics pages into four areas — old favorites, new strips, family-oriented comics and controversial ones.
Thad has also posted an excellent FAQ on this announcement. A few of the questions and answers:
Instead of doing a poll, why don’t the N&O editors use their judgment to pick the strips they think are best?
This obviously wasn’t a scientific poll; readers themselves selected whether to participate. We use reader feedback as just one factor in making decisions. We make the final calls, but it’s nice to solicit opinion from customers.
Why doesn’t The N&O have any comics on its Web site?
We’re looking into that and hope to add some in the coming months. Stay tuned.
That’s encouraging. You don’t often hear of newspapers adding strips. Good for them.
My thought exactly. Let’s hope this becomes a trend.
*wipes brow*
Good for Thad and the N&O paper! It is rare that this happens. It just goes to show that there is a market for fresh strips in addition to the ones people already like reading. Yes, readers get upset when ones are taken out so perhaps the solution is just expanding the comics section.
Expanding and segmenting the comics section? What an awesome idea that no one has ever stated before…
Thad Ogburn for President