Newspaper Grids Column Inches Ad Dimensions Exercise
This tutorial explains how to measure newspaper ad sizes in column inches.
Newspaper Grids
Newspaper pages are laid out on a grid which consists of a margin on 4 sides, a number of vertical columns, and space in between columns.
On a newspaper page,
all live matter (copy, art, and ads)
are contained within columns.
Newspapers grids are based on a different number of columns, depending on paper size and design preference. Common page grids include:
Newspaper Grids Column Inches Ad Dimensions Exercise
Column Inches
Newspapers sell advertising space on a page to retail advertisers, advertising agencies, and other media buyers.
Ads are measured using column inches. A column inch is a unit of space one column wide by one inch high.
One newspaper column inch.
On the six column page above, the total available column inches would equal the number of inches high x the number of columns.
21 1/4" x 6 columns = 127 1/2"
Newspaper Grids Column Inches Ad Dimensions Exercise
Measuring Ad Dimensions Using Column Inches.
When an ad size is specified in column inches (60 col. inches, for example) it's dimensions must also be defined. In other words, how many columns wide by how many inches high.
Here is the formula for determining ad dimensions:
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Col.
inches divided by number of columns = Ad height
in inches
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Example: Here are some possible variations for a 60 col. inch ad.
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Newspaper Grids Column Inches Ad Dimensions Exercise
Exercise
Answer the following questions on the quiz page available here.
1. Based on the above examples, what would be the dimensions of a 60 col. inch ad 6 columns wide?
2. Figure the possible dimensions of a 72 col. inch ad on a six column newspaper page. 21 1/4" is the maximum column height.
a) 6 Col. x _____"
b) 5 Col. x _____"
c) 4 Col. x _____"
d) 3 Col. x _____"
e) 2 Col. x _____"
3. Figure the possible dimensions of a 54 col. inch ad on a 6 column newspaper page. 21 1/4" is the maximum column height.
Spokesman Review Specifications:
Tabloid Column Measurements
1 Column = 2- 1/16"
2 Column = 4- 1/14"
3 Column = 6- 7/16"
4 Column = 8- 5/8"
5 Column = 10 13/16"
Maximum Column Height = 21 1/4"
a) 6 Col. x _____"
b) 5 Col. x _____"
c) 4 Col. x _____"
d) 3 Col. x _____"
e) 2 Col. x _____"