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I'm trying to work up a couple small ads for a club I belong to for a local newspaper...
Google has produced hazy, and sometimes conflicting, answers about how BIG "4 column inches" or "6 column inches" actually is in genuine measureable INCHES in an InDesign layout...
Pointers from someone in the newspaper advertising trade (or someone who makes up ads for newspapers regularly) appreciated!
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a column inch is basically an inch length of the narrowest column used in the publication, so that if a story uses a double or triple the narrowest width column, each inch of that coulmn's length counts as two or three column inches respectively.
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Make sure you know how wide the column is. Different papers vary in size; it stands to reason their columns would. Also if the ad is display size the columns would be wider than if it was an ad placed in the classified section.
When you say "4 column inches" is that 2 columns x 2" deep or 4 columns x 1" deep? You need to know the column width.
I am guessing the depth of the ad would be in even inches? We used to measure in picas.
Give the newspaper a call tomorrow and get the specs.
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Ah.. things are becomming more clear!
I will measure a copy of the paper tomorrow, AND call them to verify...
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A column is generally 11 pica or a aprox 1.83 inches and is used to measure the width
It can vary from paper to paper but the ad rep can give you the exacts.
Vertical space is measured in plain old inches - so if your ad is 1 column wide by 3 inches tall
then it is 3 column inches.
The width can vary if you are more than one column wide, because of the space between the columns
If you went 2 columns wide you pick up the space between the columns but the outside edge space is preserved.
Best bet is to get actual pica measurement from the paper.
You guys and your computer typesetting are fast.
Of course I was hand setting my answer with individual type and I couldn't find the slugs
and someone didn't put the leading back when they were done ... plus it's backwards and upside down !
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Thank gawd I wasn't in the newspaper world during the molten lead stage. I got in the door just as System 7 was hitting the scene.
That was a couple years after I got out of art school. My first job out of art school was working for a printer that was still using a Compugraphic 9600.
Seems all so primitive now but we made it work back then.
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I was still waiting for the metal to melt in the crucible, hot type-setting has a long lead time. Oh well, it has been covered pretty much completely.
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I only had to hand set type in high school printing class and even then it was an exercise
and photo typesetting was all the rage.
We did have a Linotype though and everyone got a chance to set their name in lead.
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Speaking of Linotype, who was the competing maker of hot lead typesetters? I worked in a print shop for a few years between schools, just before they phased out their hot lead typesetting. Can't quite recall the name now.
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Hey, all I know is that Linotype (the lead alloy of 4% Tin, 12% Antimony And 84% Lead) makes awfully good cast bullets...
So, assuming (until I verify with the paper) a column inch width of 1.83", a "four column inch" ad could be 3.66" wide, by 2 inches tall?
Just to make sure I'm doing the math right... and a 6 column inch ad could be 5.49" wide by 2 inches tall?
