May 2005 Archives

Mr. Jiang Shaogao, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of People's Daily in China emphasized newspaper's role in lighting the way for peace and understanding.

The Chinese media industry has seen a growth from 16,000 journalists 20 years ago to the current 750,000. The explosion of journalists calls for greater relations between media and the government.

Mr. Jiang says that there should be some management of the media by the government. However, he does not mean "control" and suggests that to ensure fairness for Chinese media organizations is economic independence.

Mr. Arthur Sulzberger, Jr, Chairman of The New York Times, emphasized the promotion of press freedom to maintain journalistic integrity in the face of prosecution by governmental bodies.

"When any government tells us what must appear on the pages of our newspapers, television and radio broadcasts and websites, we lose our identity as journalists and become something else - a spokesman for the authorities."

Citing the examples of Judy Miller of the New York Times and Matt Cooper of Time Magazine, who were given the choice to either to violate confidential sources or face prosecution, Mr. Sulzberger urged the need for the journalistic community to support the "federal shield law."

Mr. Jiang Shaogao, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of People's Daily in China emphasized newspaper's role in lighting the way for peace and understanding.

The Chinese media industry has seen a growth from 16,000 journalists 20 years ago to the current 750,000. The explosion of journalists calls for greater relations between media and the government.

Mr. Jiang says that there should be some management of the media by the government. However, he does not mean "control" and suggests that to ensure fairness for Chinese media organizations is economic independence.

Mr. Arthur Sulzberger, Jr, Chairman of The New York Times, emphasized the promotion of press freedom to maintain journalistic integrity in the face of prosecution by governmental bodies.

"When any government tells us what must appear on the pages of our newspapers, television and radio broadcasts and websites, we lose our identity as journalists and become something else - a spokesman for the authorities."

Citing the examples of Judy Miller of the New York Times and Matt Cooper of Time Magazine, who were given the choice to either to violate confidential sources or face prosecution, Mr. Sulzberger urged the need for the journalistic community to support the "federal shield law."

Mr. Jiang Shaogao, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of People's Daily in China emphasized newspaper's role in lighting the way for peace and understanding.

The Chinese media industry has seen a growth from 16,000 journalists 20 years ago to the current 750,000. The explosion of journalists calls for greater relations between media and the government.

Mr. Jiang says that there should be some management of the media by the government. However, he does not mean "control" and suggests that to ensure fairness for Chinese media organizations is economic independence.

Mr. Arthur Sulzberger, Jr, Chairman of The New York Times, emphasized the promotion of press freedom to maintain journalistic integrity in the face of prosecution by governmental bodies.

"When any government tells us what must appear on the pages of our newspapers, television and radio broadcasts and websites, we lose our identity as journalists and become something else - a spokesman for the authorities."

Citing the examples of Judy Miller of the New York Times and Matt Cooper of Time Magazine, who were given the choice to either to violate confidential sources or face prosecution, Mr. Sulzberger urged the need for the journalistic community to support the "federal shield law."

Rich Skrenta CEO and founder of Topix.net lauded the numerous options that RSS provides for newspapers at the 58th annual World Newspaper Conference and the 12th World Editors Forum. Noting the local advantage that newspapers have, not just for local news, but because they are normally printed and delivered locally, Skrenta began his speech by highlighting the delivery costs saved by papers’ online versions. The benefits of this saved revenue are extended to the fact that, one, an online presence can extend a papers’ reach beyond its community and two, provide numerous options such as classified searches for the community. RSS is the necessary tool to aggregate all of a paper’s content into a searchable and topic specific engine that creates a bond with the reader, helping to make trail subscribers permanent, encouraging them to continue coming back to the same paper’s site. RSS changes the dynamic of online news because instead of the reader going to a newspaper’s site or an online aggregator like Google, the newspaper goes to the reader. Skrenta eased some financial concerns that editors have about using RSS feeds by showing that RSS feeds drive traffic back to a website, thus satisfying advertisers. Although the technology is still evolving, ads can also be inserted into RSS feeds. Skrenta reassured his listeners by pointing out that internet advertising has the same problem in 1995, but that it eventually succeeded and is now the fastest growing type of advertising in the world, predicting that RSS will follow a similar pattern.

Rich Skrenta, Topix.net

Rich Skrenta is CEO and co-founder of Topix.net, an online news aggregator that classifies news by subject and location. Skrenta has held senior roles at Netscape/America Online, including Director of Engineering for Netscape Search, AOL Music, and AOL Shopping. Skrenta joined Netscape/AOL upon its purchase of NewHoo/The Open Directory Project, where he was Co-founder & CEO. The Open Directory is the largest human-edited directory of the web, currently used by Google, AOL and other major web portals. Previously, Skrenta led an engineering group at Sun Microsystems and also successfully operated a small online gaming company from 1994-2001. He holds a BA degree from Northwestern University.

More on Topix

Rich Skrenta CEO and founder of Topix.net lauded the numerous options that RSS provides for newspapers at the 58th annual World Newspaper Conference and the 12th World Editors Forum. Noting the local advantage that newspapers have, not just for local news, but because they are normally printed and delivered locally, Skrenta began his speech by highlighting the delivery costs saved by papers’ online versions. The benefits of this saved revenue are extended to the fact that, one, an online presence can extend a papers’ reach beyond its community and two, provide numerous options such as classified searches for the community. RSS is the necessary tool to aggregate all of a paper’s content into a searchable and topic specific engine that creates a bond with the reader, helping to make trail subscribers permanent, encouraging them to continue coming back to the same paper’s site. RSS changes the dynamic of online news because instead of the reader going to a newspaper’s site or an online aggregator like Google, the newspaper goes to the reader. Skrenta eased some financial concerns that editors have about using RSS feeds by showing that RSS feeds drive traffic back to a website, thus satisfying advertisers. Although the technology is still evolving, ads can also be inserted into RSS feeds. Skrenta reassured his listeners by pointing out that internet advertising has the same problem in 1995, but that it eventually succeeded and is now the fastest growing type of advertising in the world, predicting that RSS will follow a similar pattern.

Rich Skrenta, Topix.net

Rich Skrenta is CEO and co-founder of Topix.net, an online news aggregator that classifies news by subject and location. Skrenta has held senior roles at Netscape/America Online, including Director of Engineering for Netscape Search, AOL Music, and AOL Shopping. Skrenta joined Netscape/AOL upon its purchase of NewHoo/The Open Directory Project, where he was Co-founder & CEO. The Open Directory is the largest human-edited directory of the web, currently used by Google, AOL and other major web portals. Previously, Skrenta led an engineering group at Sun Microsystems and also successfully operated a small online gaming company from 1994-2001. He holds a BA degree from Northwestern University.

More on Topix

Rich Skrenta CEO and founder of Topix.net lauded the numerous options that RSS provides for newspapers at the 58th annual World Newspaper Conference and the 12th World Editors Forum. Noting the local advantage that newspapers have, not just for local news, but because they are normally printed and delivered locally, Skrenta began his speech by highlighting the delivery costs saved by papers’ online versions. The benefits of this saved revenue are extended to the fact that, one, an online presence can extend a papers’ reach beyond its community and two, provide numerous options such as classified searches for the community. RSS is the necessary tool to aggregate all of a paper’s content into a searchable and topic specific engine that creates a bond with the reader, helping to make trail subscribers permanent, encouraging them to continue coming back to the same paper’s site. RSS changes the dynamic of online news because instead of the reader going to a newspaper’s site or an online aggregator like Google, the newspaper goes to the reader. Skrenta eased some financial concerns that editors have about using RSS feeds by showing that RSS feeds drive traffic back to a website, thus satisfying advertisers. Although the technology is still evolving, ads can also be inserted into RSS feeds. Skrenta reassured his listeners by pointing out that internet advertising has the same problem in 1995, but that it eventually succeeded and is now the fastest growing type of advertising in the world, predicting that RSS will follow a similar pattern.

Rich Skrenta, Topix.net

Rich Skrenta is CEO and co-founder of Topix.net, an online news aggregator that classifies news by subject and location. Skrenta has held senior roles at Netscape/America Online, including Director of Engineering for Netscape Search, AOL Music, and AOL Shopping. Skrenta joined Netscape/AOL upon its purchase of NewHoo/The Open Directory Project, where he was Co-founder & CEO. The Open Directory is the largest human-edited directory of the web, currently used by Google, AOL and other major web portals. Previously, Skrenta led an engineering group at Sun Microsystems and also successfully operated a small online gaming company from 1994-2001. He holds a BA degree from Northwestern University.

More on Topix

Rich Skrenta CEO and founder of Topix.net lauded the numerous options that RSS provides for newspapers at the 58th annual World Newspaper Conference and the 12th World Editors Forum. Noting the local advantage that newspapers have, not just for local news, but because they are normally printed and delivered locally, Skrenta began his speech by highlighting the delivery costs saved by papers’ online versions. The benefits of this saved revenue are extended to the fact that, one, an online presence can extend a papers’ reach beyond its community and two, provide numerous options such as classified searches for the community. RSS is the necessary tool to aggregate all of a paper’s content into a searchable and topic specific engine that creates a bond with the reader, helping to make trail subscribers permanent, encouraging them to continue coming back to the same paper’s site. RSS changes the dynamic of online news because instead of the reader going to a newspaper’s site or an online aggregator like Google, the newspaper goes to the reader. Skrenta eased some financial concerns that editors have about using RSS feeds by showing that RSS feeds drive traffic back to a website, thus satisfying advertisers. Although the technology is still evolving, ads can also be inserted into RSS feeds. Skrenta reassured his listeners by pointing out that internet advertising has the same problem in 1995, but that it eventually succeeded and is now the fastest growing type of advertising in the world, predicting that RSS will follow a similar pattern.

Rich Skrenta, Topix.net

Rich Skrenta is CEO and co-founder of Topix.net, an online news aggregator that classifies news by subject and location. Skrenta has held senior roles at Netscape/America Online, including Director of Engineering for Netscape Search, AOL Music, and AOL Shopping. Skrenta joined Netscape/AOL upon its purchase of NewHoo/The Open Directory Project, where he was Co-founder & CEO. The Open Directory is the largest human-edited directory of the web, currently used by Google, AOL and other major web portals. Previously, Skrenta led an engineering group at Sun Microsystems and also successfully operated a small online gaming company from 1994-2001. He holds a BA degree from Northwestern University.

More on Topix

"Visual information is fundamental to the survival of journalism," says Alberto Cairo

This important comment arises in the Q&A following the session. It is fortified by the following dialogue about why infographics may hold the key to attracting younger readers, and thus sustaining journalism's relevance for the next generation...

Basically, graphics attract young people because kids play video games so much. Thus, the quality of infographics are especially important because younger readers are used to that kind of quality in the video games they play so often. If the media provides them with that kind of high quality inforgraphics, it will then also get them interested in reading the newspaper as well...

Tarek Atia

"Visual information is fundamental to the survival of journalism," says Alberto Cairo

This important comment arises in the Q&A following the session. It is fortified by the following dialogue about why infographics may hold the key to attracting younger readers, and thus sustaining journalism's relevance for the next generation...

Basically, graphics attract young people because kids play video games so much. Thus, the quality of infographics are especially important because younger readers are used to that kind of quality in the video games they play so often. If the media provides them with that kind of high quality inforgraphics, it will then also get them interested in reading the newspaper as well...

Tarek Atia

"Visual information is fundamental to the survival of journalism," says Alberto Cairo

This important comment arises in the Q&A following the session. It is fortified by the following dialogue about why infographics may hold the key to attracting younger readers, and thus sustaining journalism's relevance for the next generation...

Basically, graphics attract young people because kids play video games so much. Thus, the quality of infographics are especially important because younger readers are used to that kind of quality in the video games they play so often. If the media provides them with that kind of high quality inforgraphics, it will then also get them interested in reading the newspaper as well...

Tarek Atia

"Visual information is fundamental to the survival of journalism," says Alberto Cairo

This important comment arises in the Q&A following the session. It is fortified by the following dialogue about why infographics may hold the key to attracting younger readers, and thus sustaining journalism's relevance for the next generation...

Basically, graphics attract young people because kids play video games so much. Thus, the quality of infographics are especially important because younger readers are used to that kind of quality in the video games they play so often. If the media provides them with that kind of high quality inforgraphics, it will then also get them interested in reading the newspaper as well...

Tarek Atia

Peter EspinaThe infographics editor at China Daily takes Jeff's talk further by illustrating how infographics can be used by newspapers and the rationale for using graphics in newspapers.

The speaker explained the idea of the usability of infographics through an example of 3 (english language) newspapers he picked up recently, all three featuring the new Airbus as the main story on their front pages. The idea, according to Espina is not to use "just another picture of a plane", the idea is to give information, which would have been possible had a pictographic been used.

Either there were no graphics available on the subject or the newspaper just did not care enough, which brings up the question of whether infographics have to be done by art departments in newspapers or special agencies.
The right idea is to have a mix of both.

What do mid-sized newspapers expect of specialised agencies supplying graphics?
1. Sensitivity to time zones and deadline pressures
2. More reader engaging graphics.
3. Easily editable graphics.
4. The price factor: one price does not suit all newspapers.
5. Easily downloadable.

The push for infographics needs to come from the top, meaning that editors need to realise the potential of using graphics in news stories. Senior editors need to understand that an infographic is not a supplement to a photograph. At times, a good infographic can even be used as the main story, with the text as a supplement. Graphics should NOT be used to cover the 'grey' in the story either.

Setting up a good graphics department means the following considerations:

People: There are lots of graphic designers and a small complementary team of graphic designers should do the job.
Work: Not every story needs a graphic. It is a judgment call and graphics can, at times, form the main story as well.
Pay: (for Editors: Pay well if you find someone good!)

Posted by: Zebunnisa Burki

Peter EspinaThe infographics editor at China Daily takes Jeff's talk further by illustrating how infographics can be used by newspapers and the rationale for using graphics in newspapers.

The speaker explained the idea of the usability of infographics through an example of 3 (english language) newspapers he picked up recently, all three featuring the new Airbus as the main story on their front pages. The idea, according to Espina is not to use "just another picture of a plane", the idea is to give information, which would have been possible had a pictographic been used.

Either there were no graphics available on the subject or the newspaper just did not care enough, which brings up the question of whether infographics have to be done by art departments in newspapers or special agencies.
The right idea is to have a mix of both.

What do mid-sized newspapers expect of specialised agencies supplying graphics?
1. Sensitivity to time zones and deadline pressures
2. More reader engaging graphics.
3. Easily editable graphics.
4. The price factor: one price does not suit all newspapers.
5. Easily downloadable.

The push for infographics needs to come from the top, meaning that editors need to realise the potential of using graphics in news stories. Senior editors need to understand that an infographic is not a supplement to a photograph. At times, a good infographic can even be used as the main story, with the text as a supplement. Graphics should NOT be used to cover the 'grey' in the story either.

Setting up a good graphics department means the following considerations:

People: There are lots of graphic designers and a small complementary team of graphic designers should do the job.
Work: Not every story needs a graphic. It is a judgment call and graphics can, at times, form the main story as well.
Pay: (for Editors: Pay well if you find someone good!)

Posted by: Zebunnisa Burki

Peter EspinaThe infographics editor at China Daily takes Jeff's talk further by illustrating how infographics can be used by newspapers and the rationale for using graphics in newspapers.

The speaker explained the idea of the usability of infographics through an example of 3 (english language) newspapers he picked up recently, all three featuring the new Airbus as the main story on their front pages. The idea, according to Espina is not to use "just another picture of a plane", the idea is to give information, which would have been possible had a pictographic been used.

Either there were no graphics available on the subject or the newspaper just did not care enough, which brings up the question of whether infographics have to be done by art departments in newspapers or special agencies.
The right idea is to have a mix of both.

What do mid-sized newspapers expect of specialised agencies supplying graphics?
1. Sensitivity to time zones and deadline pressures
2. More reader engaging graphics.
3. Easily editable graphics.
4. The price factor: one price does not suit all newspapers.
5. Easily downloadable.

The push for infographics needs to come from the top, meaning that editors need to realise the potential of using graphics in news stories. Senior editors need to understand that an infographic is not a supplement to a photograph. At times, a good infographic can even be used as the main story, with the text as a supplement. Graphics should NOT be used to cover the 'grey' in the story either.

Setting up a good graphics department means the following considerations:

People: There are lots of graphic designers and a small complementary team of graphic designers should do the job.
Work: Not every story needs a graphic. It is a judgment call and graphics can, at times, form the main story as well.
Pay: (for Editors: Pay well if you find someone good!)

Posted by: Zebunnisa Burki