Alberto Cairo's Infographics revolution

Spanish newspaper El Mundo's Infographics Editor Alberto Cairo's talk is titled "Two infographics departments in the same newsroom" ... Now what does that mean? It seems to mean that a newspaper should have a separate online and print infographics department... Why? Because the parameters governing each medium's graphics are different.

When it comes to online content, Cairo is convinced that "citizen journalists" will not be able to compete with traditional media.

Example: the March 11 attacks in Madrid -- they occurred at 7: 37 am, and the paper had its first infographic -- a map -- online by 8:40 am (a little later than usual because this was such a big story.) The key point here is that the paper didn't only send reporters and photographers to the scene; they also sent two infographics artists as well. The map was expanded and improved throughout the day as more information was gathered.

Alberto Cairo, El Mundo

Alberto Cairo is the head of elmundo.es/El Mundo Online Infographics Department and professor of Graphic Communication in Carlos III University in Madrid. After two years in Diario16 and as a freelance designer for DPI Comunicación, he entered the Interactive Graphics Department at elmundo.es in 2000. His Department has won more NetMedia Malofiej and SND.ies awards than any other worldwide in online categories. Cairo began his career as an infographics and design editor in La Voz de Galicia in 1997. He has a Degree in Journalism from Santiago de Compostela University and a M.A. in Design.

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