June 02, 2004, 04:41 PM
A familiar makeover
Richard Connelly, the media critic over at the Houston Press, doesn't sound much more impressed than we were with the Chronicle's recent design changes:
For years, San Antonio was that city south of Austin that most Houstonians gave hardly a thought to. Then Jeff Cohen became the editor of the Houston Chronicle.
Cohen, who cut his journalistic teeth in San Antonio, brought in San Antonio Express-News columnist Rick Casey to much fanfare. The fanfare didn't include any warning that the Chron's Metro column would now be devoting a lot of space to San Antonio, but that's all right. Because Casey isn't alone — these days the Chron newsroom is looking like an Express-News alumni party.
And suddenly Chronicle readers are supposed to be fascinated by what is apparently called the “Alamo City.” (In the two years before Cohen came here in June 2002, the phrase “Alamo City” showed up in news sections just four times. Since then, 20 times.)
Not content to simply sound like the San Antonio Express-News, the Chron is apparently determined to look like it, too. The sports section is the latest to introduce the long-planned makeover of the paper's design, and it's really, really innovative.
If you haven't seen the San Antonio paper. Or any recently redesigned paper, for that matter.
Nothing against San Antonio, but the largest city in the state and the fourth largest city in the country really ought to be able to do better.
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