Thursday, November 12, 2009
A quick lesson in printing
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Kathryn L. Pugh
Pugh lives in Roanoke.
Re: John Trotman's complaint of using single sheets (half webs) in the printing of The Roanoke Times, "Print the news on whole sheets," Nov. 6 letter:
The Times' editorial department does not have the extra time to explain their printing process decisions to every Tom, Dick and Harry -- no matter from where they hail.
Eighteen years ago, we lived in Pennsylvania. My grandfather was a printer; my uncle and mother were also in the printing trade. My husband has more than 20 years experience in the printing trades, commercial and newspaper. (No, he does not work for The Times. We do subscribe, though.)
I suggest Trotman go to The Times' offices and take a tour of the plant: pressroom, plate room, layout and pre-press areas. They used to have regular tours. Call and make arrangements. I am sure a guide would be more than happy to explain the manufacturing process of the newspaper. They would be able to answer any and all of his questions.
For those unable to take the tour, have no time to take it or only have time to gripe about the paper, here is a very simplified explanation you may understand:
The primary reasons for the use of single sheets are threefold: layout, capacity of the presses and efficiency.
A normal newsprint run will hold a single web of paper. A web is a continuous roll of paper, much like a huge roll of paper towels. It is fed through the printing press units, each of which prints a single color. A newspaper web will usually print four pages at a time; two on front and two on the back. Presses that have larger capacities can print two or more webs, depending on the number of units used and the width space available.
Depending on the configuration, presses can print a web-and-a-half, which would be six pages total with a full web and a smaller single width web -- Trotman's main complaint. Different configurations can print different results.
It makes greater sense to utilize all capabilities of such a press to print 12 pages in two runs of six pages rather than three runs of four. Even Trotman's teachers in New Jersey would agree -- 6 pages x 2 runs = 12 and 4 pages x 3 runs = 12. Economically, it is better to print two runs. It is more cost-effective and a more efficient use of the workers and materials as well. Each run can take hours to print.
Would you rather be able to get your paper early in the morning or have to wait until midmorning or noontime to read the paper? Would you rather pay the paltry 75 cents, or would you be willing to pay an extra 30 to 50 cents and wait longer to get The Times to avoid the single sheets?
One certainty: Newspaper presses do not make any money for their owners unless they are used and used efficiently. Paper, ink, pre-press materials, printing presses and labor are expensive. Using them in a less effective, cost-efficient way is a waste of resources, manpower and time. Together, they are called The Roanoke Times.
