  BIOGRAPHY for RON REASON:
Why have top news organizations (as well as many smaller titles) hired me for redesigns and newsroom training programs? It's simple. I understand news design from a content standpoint, and balance newsroom realities with the desire for innovation and serving today's readers in sharper ways. My clients do not just want cosmetic redesigns - new fonts, colors, web width, or nameplate. They may want all that, but more important, they seek to revitalize and update the thing that really matters - the newsroom culture that produces a fresh product each day, week, or month. Though trained as a newspaper writer and editor, I have 20 years of unique experience in news design, serving as a consultant for nearly 10 of those years. Previously I served for five years as Director of Visual Journalism at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies, where I remain a visiting faculty member. Previously I was an editor and designer at the St. Petersburg Times, and taught at the University of South Florida and Ringling School of Art and Design. I am a frequent speaker for groups such as the Society for News Design. I am based in Chicago and travel to clients as needed. For more specifics about my background, see below. For inquiries about redesigns, management consulting, or training, email me here. | |||
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TEACHING EXPERIENCE: Poynter Institute for Media Studies: I am a visiting faculty member teaching in various seminars, this year focusing on front page design, redesign, and design/type/color. Visit the Poynter web site or ask me for more information. Previously, as Poynter's Director of Visual Journalism from 1994 to 1999, I supervised and taught in professional training programs for newspaper and web design, graphics, illustration, typography, photography and leadership. I also published, conducted industry outreach, and researched visual journalism issues, and taught in management, writing and editing, and ethics courses as well.
University of South Florida (Tampa, Fla.): instructor, mass communications department. Taught newspaper and publication editing and design, 1987-1989 Ringling School of Art and Design (Sarasota, Fla.): instructor, department of graphic and interactive design. Taught typography and advanced graphic design studio courses, 1989-1991 |
CONSULTING
EXPERIENCE: Redesigns. I have worked as a consultant for numerous newspaper companies, with current or past clients including The Dallas Morning News, Orlando Sentinel, The Harvard Crimson, Boston Herald and more. Link here to a complete list of redesign clients and a few case studies. Email me for references or samples.
Newsroom Training. I provide custom management consulting and on-site staff development programs including slide presentations, group and one-on-one critiques, workshop discussions, hands-on exercises, and individual leadership development counseling. Training and management consulting clients have included small U.S. papers as well as the largest newspapers in Brazil, Denmark and Singapore. Link here to a list of newspapers consulted with and an outline of topics addressed. I also have been an invited speaker to journalism institutes in Denmark, Iceland, Germany and Russia, and to universities including my alma mater, Indiana University- Bloomington. To inquire about availability for speaking engagements or other workshops, email me here. |
NEWSPAPER
WORK EXPERIENCE: St. Petersburg Times: 1985-1994, various positions including design director, page one design editor, regional news editor, copy editor. This paper has twice been named one of the best papers in the U.S. by TIME Magazine. Washington Post: Dow Jones Newspaper Fund editing fellowship on the national desk EDUCATION: Indiana University- Bloomington: Bachelor's degree in Journalism |
C0NTACT
INFORMATION: E-mail: click here
Postal: 540 W. Aldine Ave. Suite E Chicago, IL USA 60657 Phone: 773-562-7464
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