Frequently asked questions

The Northern Virginia Daily now prints all publications Computer-To-Plate. All pages are built electronically and sent sent directly to plate. This method helps keep the publication in original quality, with no loss of clarity due to second or third generation reproduction, due to printing, scanning and reinserting the file into our electronic format. This method also helps with deadlines or last minute changes, due to the ability to instantaneously send files via email or through a website without needing to rely on someone physically transporting the file or sending it through the mail. We require advertisers and ad agencies to send their publications in electronically or by disk to insure the highest quality reproduction.

Camera-ready is the term used to describe files that are completely built by the customer and are entirely ready to go to print. These items were once physically shot on a camera to create the negative, which is where the term comes from.

Now the press operates in a completely digital format. What we may refer to as a "camera-ready file" is a file that has been created by the customer and is ready to be sent to plate. To qualify as a camera-ready, it should require no further work by the composing department.

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. This is a universal format that captures all of the elements of an electronic file so that it can be sent, viewed and printed from another computer regardless of what program was used to create the file, and whether the recipient has that program.

This format is used because it preserves the intended layout of the publication in one compact file.

Dot gain is caused by the paper's tendency to absorb ink and increase the size of the dots printed. What this means for you is that images printed on newsprint will tend to look darker than they may have looked on your computer screen.

Printed colors work differently than color on a computer or television screen. CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black, which are the 4 colors of ink used by our press to create every other color.

If a file uses any other color palette, such as RGB, it will have to be converted to CMYK and the end result may not match what you had in mind. Because of this, we cannot guarantee the exact color matching of any PMS colors.

When the press starts, the press operators are monitoring the color and adjusting it as needed. Sometimes, adjusting color to fix one ad may make the other ads look incorrect, so further adjustments are needed. There may be newpapers that appear slightly darker or lighter than other newspapers within the same run. However, once the correct color density has been set, the colors will start to maintain their consistency.

The correct mix for black text should always be 100% black and 0% everything else. A common error that we encounter is that the black used is a mix of colors from all channels. Sometimes this is referred to as "Rich Black' or "Registration." Please do not use this color for text or other fine art.

If the black is not solid black, it makes the text very difficult to keep in register, and as a result, the text can appear very blurry. We do not accept files with small text that has been separated across all channels.