WILKES-BARRE -- There was a new beginning for a newspaper in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday as the Citizens' Voice unveiled a whole new look for its weekday paper.
The paper featured a tabloid style for the past 38 years. Now, it is getting in line with a broadsheet style.
Local newsstand owner Ann Marie Bossard said if there's one thing she's learned about her customers after 30 years on the job, it's this:
"They do not like change. They do not like change at all," Bossard said.
When the Citizens' Voice debuted its new layout, Bossard heard complaints from many customers.
"They came in and they said, 'Oh my God, where's the Citizens' Voice?' and I said, 'It's right next to the Times Leader.' I said, 'They changed their format,'" Bossard said.
Ever since the paper was founded in 1978, the CV always had a tabloid format. Reader James Spence said the new format is too cumbersome.
"You've got to fumble through it, like you've got to do with the Times Leader. I'd rather just flip through it, get it over with and I'm good with my coffee," Spence said.
Others liked the new look.
"I think it gives you more news and more in-depth on what's going on as opposed to the old paper was just short, but this here it's more in-depth," Reader Greg Thompson said.
The owners of the Citizens' Voice said in a statement that the paper changed its format so it could be on the same page as the other papers its parent company publishes.
They also said this new layout makes the printing process a little easier. It also fits in more room for pictures and news.
Even though the paper had its reasons, some readers say they might just go to the paper's website instead.
"With [the tabloid style] I can just easily flip through it and read what there is. With [the broadsheet style] you have to go through it and pull out all the pages and also, it falls to the ground! Yeah, it falls to the ground."