Introducing the new View

The View newspaper you are reading today is bigger and better than the one you read last week.

We have transformed the View from a tabloid to a full-size newspaper, which the printing industry calls a broadsheet. We believe this change enhances our ability to provide you with a pleasing and informative reading experience.

In the process of making this physical change, we evaluated everything we were doing with the View and decided to improve the mix of community news and information you receive each week.

* Local, local, local: More than anything, we aim for the View to deliver more true neighborhood news than ever before. This means more of the content you see will be relevant to you and your region of the valley.

* Crime reports: All View editions falling within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police Department feature weekly maps tracking crime trends in specific neighborhoods. We are actively seeking to provide the same information for residents of Henderson, and North Las Vegas.

* Entertainment: The View provides weekly information and listings for arts, entertainment and dining options in your area.

* Pets: Over the years, it has become very clear to us that Las Vegans love their pets, and they love to read about pets in the newspaper. Therefore, we have given pet news its own page, including expanded adoption opportunities.

* "Citizen journalism": The View wants you to join the conversation. We invite readers to get published by sending us everything from photos of your pets and favorite vacation spots to Vegas memories and letters to the editor on local issues. These and other opportunities to get involved can be found on the Your Space page.

Some View readers will notice that they have received a different edition this week than they did in the past. The View subdivides the Las Vegas Valley by ZIP codes, and this determines who gets which neighborhood edition. Last week, we had 11 editions. This week, we have 13.

The new View editions are Downtown, which was carved out of the Summerlin and Sunrise zones, and Whitney, carved from the Southeast and Sunrise zones. We intend for this change to provide readers with more localized information.

The bottom line is this: We want the View newspaper to be a central gathering place for you and your neighbors, and a catalyst for building a stronger sense of community throughout Southern Nevada.

We see this as a highly interactive process, so please don't hesitate to let us know how we're doing.

-- Geoff Schumacher Director of community publications gschumacher@reviewjournal.com