Click this link to get a sense of how things changed.

1999: That was then ... The Plain Dealer was clearly a paper with potential. Consistently in the top 20 of U. S. circulation, privately owned, with spectacular new press facilities, seemingly limitless resources and a smart (albeit mature) workforce, it was poised to do wonderful things. But when it came to photography, graphics or design, those wonderful things weren't clearly defined. Ironically, the visual departments most lacked a vision for what they wanted — or needed — to be.

Really ugly zoned Metro front

Photography: By redefining assignments and raising expectations, we’ve minimized pictures like “Man with pumpkin,” above. It was never a question of talent — the photographer who took “pumpkin” was Ohio’s 2004 Photographer of the Year.

Really, really ugly zoned Metro front

Design: Pages were assembled, not designed, in part because zoning was overly aggressive. The result: wasted design and photo resources. Switching the paper’s mission to broader regional coverage reduced zones, thereby recovering resources.

Really, really, really ugly Business

Illustration: Brainstorming didn't involve visual thinkers. Poorly conceived and executed images were a result of too little time and even less information about the story focus. Conversations between visual journalists and editors were rare.