Critique of current design

The UK site in June 2011

This is how the site looks on a 1024x768 monitor with the browser set to maximised (full screen).

1. The top section is too compressed. A bit more space would make it easier on the eye.
2. The font for the main title could be changed to freshen the site up a bit. This is a fairly common free font so it lacks individuality and thus identity. It would also make sense to have the 'Indymedia' aligned to the right so it is next to the logo.
3. The number of menu items could be reduced from nine to a maximum of 7.
4. The subtitle is far too long and somewhat verbose. For example it could read A network offering non-corporate news or even just Non-corporate news. By making it shorter and thus allowing a bigger font more people will actually read it. Ideas for a new subhead here.
5. Not the best rendition of the IMC logo. Some alternative ideas here
6. The font is not the best/most appropriate choice and is slightly out of alignment too.
7. Could move the search box out of the newswire section.
8. Colour: the current colours are quite nice. Red, white and blue strengthens the UK identity by subtly echoing the colours of the Union Jack. This could be strengthened to make the site a bit more colourful. But maybe we don't to identify with the flag at all? Though changing the colour scheme is perhaps best left for a more major redesign.

A new version

Here is a version addressing stuff above. This is uncoloured, mostly unstyled (apart from choice of fonts) so just for layout only. Most of the changes below could be made with the CSS only (apart from the menu and search box, which are moved here).

Some Comments on a New Version

Looks good, the large grey space at the top left could do with being filled with something, perhaps a montage of images or an image or perhaps a selection of recent images?

At the top of the newswire the text "The Newswire" would be better as just "Newswire"?