The Guardian: a blog in print?

I rather like The Guardian’s new format (between the tabloid and broadsheet sizes: “berliner”, apparently). Good use of colour, clear type, size is fine. However it seems to lack “density” – a whole pile of stuff on the front page. Is it me, or does it look like (ahem) a blog? The main bit, right nav (linking to sections within, with a leading quote), and a ‘bot bar’ (category headlings along the bottom)?? [see Typepad‘s “2 columns right” suggestion…]

The Guardian is famous in its use and support of blogs, contributions and a ‘living’ online version, but this adoption of a weblike interface makes it like no other.

You can see the design here on their site.

Vin Crosbie also likes the design and you can see his comments here:
Digital Deliverance Archive: The New Guardian: Intelligent Design in Newspaper

The only other UK paper that approaches the ‘Grauniad’ (so-called in tribute to the infamous speeling erosr that used to plague the paper – before spellchecking?) is the Independent, but their design is more “picture banner at the top and look how much space we’re boldly giving the main story”. The could take a leaf from the Graun and make their comments on the design at least readable without a subscription… Pay for content? Moi?