NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2003--The New York Times will begin tomorrow printing all headlines on page one and throughout the news sections in various versions of the Cheltenham typeface rather than the several different typefaces previously used. An article describing the changes will appear in tomorrow's paper. The overall approach to layout, sizes and emphasis will remain the same.

The Cheltenham varieties to be used are based on the original forms of the typeface designed in the early 20th century. Pre-eminent typographer Matthew Carter created the new family of Cheltenham typefaces under the direction of Tom Bodkin, the design director and assistant managing editor of The New York Times. The new fonts will replace the mix of faces that has been featured on page one beginning as early as the late 1800's and which has remained unchanged since 1976. The previous fonts included Cheltenham Bold Italic, Latin Condensed, News Gothic, Century Bold and two versions of Bookman.

Mr. Bodkin was first charged with exploring options for enhancing the format of page one in 2001 by former Times executive editor, Joseph Lelyveld. The mission was to update the design of the page while maintaining The Times's traditional appearance, with which The Times is so strongly identified.

"Although the changes are subtle, the new family of typefaces will lend a greater coherence and elegance to The Times's front page, while better conveying the hierarchy of stories and improving legibility," said Mr. Bodkin. "The consistency of the display type will give a more unified appearance to the page and make it more comfortable to read." One of the more noticeable changes is the added weight to the one-column headline that appears over the lead story on the upper right-hand side of the page, giving that story a stronger presence that better reflects its relative importance on the page.

The use of mixed typefaces in newspapers dates back to the 19th century, and is probably a result of a combination of Victorian esthetics and difficulty in acquiring lead type in multiple sizes and weights. The legacy of that practice was, until now, apparent on the front page of The Times. "The goal now is to provide a similar variety, but without the visual discord of multiple typefaces," said Mr. Bodkin.

About The New York Times Company

The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2002 revenues of $3.1 billion, includes The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 16 other newspapers, eight network-affiliated television stations, two New York City radio stations and more than 40 Web sites, including NYTimes.com and Boston.com. For the third consecutive year, the Company was ranked No. 1 in the publishing industry in Fortune's 2002 list of America's Most Admired Companies. In 2003 the Company was named by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

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CONTACT: The New York Times Diane McNulty, 212-556-5244 E-mail: mcnuldc@nytimes.com Jennifer Pauly, 212-556-1718 E-mail: paulyj@nytimes.com SOURCE: The New York Times Company