Tapping the collective unconscious on page one:
Case studies of original artwork in community-newspaper flags
BY DR. ERIC WILTSE, University of Wyoming
INTRODUCTION
A trend in newspaper design over the last 20 years has been to replace traditional page one flags or nameplates that included original artwork of local geographic or historic features with more generic flags that emphasize typography.
This pilot study is important because there is little in scholarly literature concerning newspaper flags. Newspaper design textbooks in the last 17 years contain some philosophy about flag design. Flags should convey community characteristics, offer clues to the newspaper�s personality, and emphasize community traditions (Garcia, Harrower, Denton). Furthermore, flags maintain a design constant for every issue of a newspaper because they rarely are redesigned.
This study will be grounded in Jung�s theory of the collective unconscious, defined as �"a reservoir of the experiences of our species" (1933). The study will also draw from Durkheim�s collective consciousness theory, which refers to the shared beliefs and moral attitudes which operate as a unifying force within society (1893).
The methodology of the study will employ the ethnographic technique of gathering artifacts. Artifacts in this study will include photographs, artwork, interviews and historical documents. Triangulation will be used to analyze the data.
The research question for the study will be how do community newspaper flags with original artwork convey community characteristics and emphasize community traditions? Because this is an ethnographic design, there will be no hypothesis stated prior to data collection and analysis.