Overall improvement in quality. Packaging and presentation are important. Too many fillers. News stories were stronger than features, commentaries and especially weak sports. Strong stories on base closures, cutbacks, etc.
Every story has a local angle if reporters have time to find it.
Perhaps not enough manpower to get beneath the veneer. Two-tier large newspapers with big staffs shine above others. Improvement in visuals and graphics over last year in overall newspaper category. Info graphics not as good as last year. Few contemporary ideas.