First Published: Unity, Vol. 8, No. 13, October 11, 1985.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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Our regular readers will have noticed the new UNITY banner, the new page heads, the easier to read type, expanded cultural coverage and other changes. The new look brings UNITY up to date with developments in the graphic arts, and the content changes are designed to better serve the rapidly changing readership of our newspaper.
In contrast to two years ago when UNITY last reformatted, UNITY’s readership has not only grown but has changed to include much larger numbers of lower strata workers, some of whom read only Spanish, students from community colleges, and activists in different struggles, whose first introduction to socialist ideas is what they read in UNITY. Although UNITY has always been different from other left newspapers in that our readership was primarily among those who do not consider themselves a part of the left, this trend appears to be increasing.
We find a substantial and growing percentage of our readers to have actual reading levels of tenth grade high school or lower. In addition, we also have a growing number of immigrant and undocumented workers reading UNITY. As one of the only U.S. socialist newspapers published in Spanish, UNITY is looked at by Spanish-speaking readers for information and help to adjust to life in this country, as well as how to cope with different problems in the school and social welfare systems.
For these readers, we have tried to improve our writing style to produce a newspaper that is easier to read. We will also be introducing in the next few months legal and health columns.
The general growth of UNITY’s circulation has also brought larger numbers of readers from the left and among experienced longtime activists in the mass struggles. These readers are especially interested in knowing the views of the League of Revolutionary Struggle, publishers of UNITY.
Beginning with this issue, we will be periodically printing interviews with spokespersons of the League on various subjects of interest to our readers. These interviews will present the views of the League.
UNITY itself will continue to publish a variety of points of view. We believe that at this time in the U.S. movement, the needs of our struggle can best be served by doing so. Especially in the cultural area, UNITY will continue to publish articles which do not necessarily reflect the views of the League. In addition we have added more contributors to UNITY whose articles reflect their own views.
We hope that this reformatting will better serve the needs of our readers and the struggle for peace, justice, equality and socialism. If you have any questions or comments about UNITYs new look and approach, please write and let us know.