WHAT'S NEXT: INNOVATIONS IN NEWSPAPERS

INNOVATION is very proud of this regional Brazilian newspaper: O DIARIO DO NORTE DO PARANA.

We worked on this newspaper in 2006.

On today’s front page, the paper denounces three supermarkets that have rejected the access of inspectors to check the prices in their stores.

Since O DIARIO started this comparative analysis, the price of the basic basket of food (“Cesta Basica”) has declined 22%.

The newspaper knows that this decision is illegal and against customers and readers.

But risking the loss of ads from of these big advertisers, today’s editorial is a powerful statement about who “owns” a newspaper.

The readers.

Not the advertisers.

Congratulations to all our friends in O DIARIO, led by Michael Vieira da Silva, a brave editor, for a brave newspaper.

(Thanks to Eduardo Tessler)

Like everyone, I get too many messages from Twitter followers that I don’t know and who don’t know me.

The last one was from Tennis Review.

I don’t play tennis.

I am not interested in tennis.

So, why are they following me?

The journalist Julio Alonso died last night in Madrid after a long battle with cancer.

He was one of our very first, and best, consultants.

Julio was gifted with a marvelous visual culture and had an extensive journalistic career with EL ALCAZAR, ABC, EL PAIS, AS, YA, EL INDEPENDIENTE, and the JOLY newspaper group, where he was editorial adviser.

In the 1970s, he was the first visual journalist hired by EL PAIS. Together with Reinhard Gade, he created the original prototype of the paper, a master work that’s still the most innovative design ever done in Spain.

Julio loved typography and was a passionate believer in excellence in copy editing.

When he told me a few years ago that he had cancer, we asked him to work from home and create all of our multimedia presentations.

If you have seen any of our presentations or reports, then you know Julio.

He never wanted to alter his frenetic newspaper work habits, even while ill. Julio would volunteer to work at a moment’s notice, always perfect, working night and day. Julio never missed a deadline.

The work was a challenge, and he often did it after painful chemotherapy sessions, but we knew that it helped keep him sane. In those hours of work, Julio was the winner, not the cancer.

I took the photograph, above, last December in Madrid during a lunch with a dozen other INNOVATION consultants.

He looked very tired, but he was extremely happy, and we spent a few minutes alone after everyone else had left the restaurant.

Both of us had the feeling that this was going to be our last meeting together.

I said to Julio, “let me take a picture of you by this front page of El Pais.”

The front page, framed and displayed on the wall of El Bogavante, was designed by Julio and had been created for the new weekly edition.

Again, thank you, Julio, for your work and your friendship. (And your special gazpacho; I will miss it, too.) 

INNOVATION has lost one of the best.

And Spanish journalism, too.

Rest in peace, and the angels be with you!

(Thanks to Deborah for the editing and to Tam for the headline)

Thanks to the blog of INNOVATION’s Chiqui Esteban blog (a must-read!), I found these fantastic examples of infographics caviar.

Clear and smart ways to explain complex issues.

Journalism at its best.

What we need is not encyclopedic mega-graphics, but direct, bold, dramatic micro-graphics that tell a lot.

Short is the new smart.

Say more with less.

Journalism caviar!

We started these new in-house seminars with our clients, and now we are running the ONE DAY with other media companies.

Already done in the USA and Europe, now we will have them in India, Australia, Latin America and China.

If you are interested, please contact me at giner@innovation-mediaconsulting.com

Here is a brief outline with the CONCEPT and the CONTENT.

A British friend sent me this fake message, but the reality is not very far away from this bullshit …

Dear employees,                                                           

Due to the current financial situation caused by the slowdown of economy, Management has decided to implement a scheme to put workers of 40 years of age and above on early retirement. This scheme will be known as RAPE (Retire Aged People Early).                                       

Persons selected to be RAPED can apply to management to be eligible for the SHAFT scheme (Special Help After Forced Termination) .  

Persons who have been RAPED and SHAFTED will be reviewed under the SCREW program (Scheme Covering Retired Early Workers). A person may be RAPED once, SHAFTED twice and SCREWED as many times as Management deems appropriate.                                             

Persons who have been RAPED can only get AIDS (Additional Income for Dependants & Spouse) or HERPES (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel Early Severance).                                               

Obviously persons who have AIDS or HERPES will not be SHAFTED or SCREWED any further by management.    

Persons who are not RAPED and are staying on will receive  as much SHIT (Special High Intensity Training) as possible. Management has always prided itself on the amount of SHIT it gives employees. Should you feel that you do not receive enough SHIT, please bring to the attention of your Supervisor. They have been trained to give you all the SHIT you can handle!

Sincerely,                                                              

The Management     

 

The ad is buried in today’s MediaGuardian print section.

It’s a very small one.

But for a big job:

Head of Multimedia Newsroom.

Not an easy job.

Who has great experience in this kind of job?

Well, that’s the problem.

The BBC has thousands of excellent mono-media journalists.

And they are looking for a multimedia boss…

Some common sense from Stephen Hume, a columnist at the Vancouver Sun (Canada):

“The Old Media are the New Media.

No matter what package journalism comes in, it is the content that is important, and someone will have to pay to provide it.”

What we need is not old- or new-media fights but better journalism.

Again:

Our core business is not printing.

It’s journalism.

And sorry, but journalism is not cheap.

Picture by Andre Kastez.

(Thanks to Miguel Paz)

My friend Pedro Monteiro from Lisbon has decided to speak out about what we need to have better newspapers.

His posters are an excellent way to remember that what we need is more journalism than ever.

And different.

Print the posters for a great way to deliver some strong messages to your newsroom.

Poster caviar!