A Fresh New Look Arrives at The Root

I had a chance to preview changes made TheRoot.com website on a blogger conference call yesterday.  I’ll have to say kudos to Managing Editor Joel Dreyfuss and Managing Editor of the site.  I think the content is much easier to find and they are able to highlight key articles much better than before.

“The Root already offers the most thoughtful news analysis and commentary on the Web relating to black people’s lives and the issues that matter to us,” said Joel Dreyfuss, Managing Editor of the revamped site.  “Over time we’ve also seen our curated and multimedia content grow in popularity, so we’re redesigning the homepage to make it easier to access the full breath of what we offer.

Key updates include:

• Faster performance: The streamlined site loads quickly, giving readers faster access to breaking news and timely headlines.

• Easier Navigation: More points of entry into the site’s rich content and a layout gives video, slideshows, blogs and special features greater prominence.

• A Bolder Vibrant Design:  An updated color palette that better reflects the energetic environment of a constantly updating news source with a vocal and engaged following.

• Larger Homepage Lightbox: Expanded in size for easy viewing –containing more content tied to breaking news topics and a wider variety of the site’s offerings.

• Video Functionality on Homepage: Instant gratification for visitors who enjoy video content via a Must-See-Media module.

• New Content Offerings: Readers will be able to share the news in their own lives with the Celebrations Gallery Section which enables readers to post announcements for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations and births.  The Opinion Round Up Section highlights insightful viewpoints from notable columnists and bloggers focusing on politics, culture, and more.  The Roots Section offers genealogical information, including advice by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., who is The Root’s editor-in-chief.

The Root is published by The Slate Group, a Division of the Washington Post Company.