Grid FAQ
What are guest grids?
Guest grids are grids that offer a selection of news stories chosen by Newser's partners—celebrities, other web sites—that focus on their particular interests. If you are interested in partnering with Newser and creating your own grid, please contact us.
What's a grid?
A grid is any section page, including the homepage, that displays Newser's rectangular story layouts.
Why have a grid?
The grid is Newser's signature format for presenting the news, combining the graphic impact of imagery and bold headlines with concise, sharply written story summaries. It offers a more efficient and pleasurable experience for users than having to click on long lists of headlines.
Are stories the only content that appear in the grid?
News stories make up a majority of the content that appear in the grid. Occasionally, we will promote new features or functions on the site using the first square on the grid.
Why does "MORE" appear in the corner of the grid squares?
Each square uses a corner trigger to activate pop-up summaries. Just mouse over "MORE" to read the first 60 words. Click on the headline to read the entire summary.
When I mouse over "MORE", nothing happens. What's wrong?
The pop-up activation feature is incompatible with some versions of AdBlock Plus. You'll have to disable this on your computer to ensure proper functionality on Newser. Also, some versions of Apple Safari are unable to activate our pop-up summaries. We’re currently working to solve both of these issues.
Can I turn the pop-up feature off?
Yes. You can either click "Stop showing pop-up summaries" when viewing one to disable all future pop-ups, or you can click "Customize Page" at the top of the grid and uncheck the box next to "Show pop-up summaries."
Why do Newser stories open in a window/tab when I click on them?
By default, Newser stories open in a new window or tab (depending on your browser) after you click on them. This preserves your place in the grid; after you’re finished reading the story, you can go back to the same spot in the grid where you left off instead of having to scroll down each time. Moreover, this gives you a faster experience since you don’t have to wait for the grid to reload each time you go back.
If, however, you prefer not to have stories open in a new window or tab, just click on “Customize Page” above the grid and uncheck the box, “Don't lose your place; open stories in a new tab or window.”
How can I see more stories?
You can use our vertical slider bar to the right of the grid to scroll backward in time and read earlier stories.
What does "Adjust the grid" mean?
You can customize your view of the grid to show a particular selection of stories (News Preference), a particular number of stories (Stories), or stories from a particular date in the past.
What does the "News Preference" slider do?
Stories in Newser are rated on a scale from "hard" to "soft"; you can select any point along that continuum to vary the menu of stories that appear. By "hard news" we mean serious, important, and immediate news. By "soft news" we mean cultural, lifestyle, and celebrity news.
Can I turn off promotional messages that appear in the grid?
Yes, you can turn off the promotional message by simply selecting the "close" link in the bottom right hand corner of the square.
