Back in the day, early news reporting involved the skill of listening intently for the sound of distant hoof beats. The more beats, the more important the news story to be shared with the tribe or village. It often remained to be seen whether the news was good or bad — whether the thundering herd was friend, foe or your next meal.

Things are more complicated now, but newspaper reporters and managers still can benefit from listening closely to the world around them.

The world is telling us these days that newspapers must do everything in their power to ensure they remain the No. 1 source of news and information in their local communities. And they must do a better job communicating their unique value to readers and prospective readers — as well as to new audiences we reach online and through television outlets.

Time has become more valuable. Sources of news have become more prevalent. Some of these sources are credible, some not. Readers crave a wider variety of information in interesting, easy-to-digest formats. They want news and information that is relevant to their lives. And they want their voices heard.

We accept these challenges eagerly. In the past year, the News-Press has added the tagline “Way to Know” to its promotional messages — internally and externally — as a reminder to all that our mission to serve our readers is clear and unwavering. We have introduced multiple content and advertising features, both in print and online. And this morning, we’re making more changes as we continue to work to meet these objectives.

Three things to know about the redesigned and repackaged News-Press:

n We’re proud of our ties to the city and region, and we intend to make that connection in every day’s edition.

The News-Press nameplate at the top of the front page has returned to a classic type style of the past and now features the words “St. Joseph” much more prominently. The full name is rendered in a new type face created by graphics editor George Stanton and patterned after Gothic type popular earlier in the newspaper’s history.

Also, the former Metro section has been renamed “Midland” in a tip of the hat to the region’s long-standing Midland Empire identity.

n We’re making the paper easier to read — more efficient to navigate when you are looking for something in particular and a quicker read when you are busy. Our designers, led by presentation editor Paul Branson, have crafted new section-front designs that make the paper easier to scan to find the stories of greatest interest and importance.

The News-Press previously used several different type faces — as many as a dozen — for headlines, photo captions and other elements. This has been reduced to two type faces (for the curious, they are Franklin Gothic and Kepler). Using this simplified approach, the editors expect that over time readers will be able to more clearly identify a News-Press signature look.

n We’re adding to the value of the paper — including an entirely new “quick-read” digest on pages A2 and A3 of the best stories from the world, nation and four-state region.

We are especially hopeful about this innovation. The day’s top news — told in short but complete stories — will be presented along with the weather and the popular “It’s your call” feature. We expect many readers to make this their first stop in a busy day.

We’re also excited about continued improvements to the opinion pages — now renamed “Debate.” The pages recently added George Stanton’s original local editorial cartoons and now get a design makeover intended to draw more readers and participants to this community forum led by Mark Sheehan.

Some changes are more subtle than others: A drawing of a Pony Express rider will be featured frequently in the newspaper when referencing readers to additional content online at stjoenews.net. And selected comments posted to our online blogs will be added to the “It’s your call” feature, to encourage interaction with the printed newspaper.

Our ever-present goal is to provide you with the most accurate, timely and informative content possible, in whatever form you most desire it. That means we are changing today, and that more changes surely will follow. We welcome your thoughts.

Contact Dennis Ellsworth at (816) 271-8550, by e-mail at dennise@npgco.com or by mail at St. Joseph News-Press, 825 Edmond St., St. Joseph, MO 64501.