Göteborg: 2008 Global Report on Innovation in Newspapers: "Don't put lipstick on a pig when our newspapers need hard surgery"
The Innovations International Media Consulting Group presented its annual survey at a joint session of the 61st World Newspaper Congress and 15th World Editors Forum. The general conclusions of the session were that newspapers need to dare to be innovative and commit their papers to profound change. During the presentation the audience got to know which papers are innovating and doing so successfully.
Soliciting ideas from readers
The Spokesman Review, a daily newspaper in Spokane, Washington state was highlighted at the presentation because of its transparency. Not only does the newsroom staff attend the morning meeting, but citizens from the community join in as well. Everyone is welcome, in person or online. The Spokesman Review wants to listen to its readers and receive their comments as part of their daily work. Every day an average of 40 to 50 people do so online and two or three individuals per week show up in person as well as many school classes.
Saturday is the new Sunday
ES, a supplement of Barcelona's La Vanguardia is one of the best examples of innovative journalism, according to Innovations. It is a magazine with about 60-64 pages divided into three broad macro sections: In Shape, The family and At Home. ES is an all-color magazine in which design and pictures are key elements. One of the most significant characteristics of the new supplement is the originality of its contents. The editor Alex Rodriguez wants ES to be "elegant and of broad interest without being low brow". ES attracts new advertiser and helps sell newspapers.
Juan Antonio Giner, one of the editors of Innovation's report, presented some ways of how to kill a newspaper:
1. Print badly
2. Don´t interact with your audience
3. Print poor color
4. Write long articles
5. Don´t bother with design
6. Pay poor salaries
7. Dont innovate
8. Expect miracles
Juan Antonio said he does not worry about the future of journalism because he is too concerned with the present, and points out that life is too short to read bad newspapers. At the presentation he tried to inspire the audience to be more innovative; "If others can do it, why can't you?" Here are some of his best tips to reinvent newspapers:
1. Be different
2. Shake things up
3. Raise hell and sell newspapers
4. Make readers smile, not depressed
5. Great stories
6. Be hyper-local
7. Integrate or die
8. Graphics, graphics, graphics
9. Try wild ideas
The newsroom of tomorrow
The 2008 Global Report on Innovations in Newspapers recommend:
1. a "Superdesk" at which the chiefs are accessible, visible and open.
2. a "Community desk" at which a team is in charge of integrating audience comments, pictures, videos, tips and opinions
3. an "Assignment desk" at which reporters, photographers, etc sit.
4. Integrated mini TV and radio studio
5. Digital walls on which the newsroom staff can see the online edition displayed at all times.
Soliciting ideas from readers
The Spokesman Review, a daily newspaper in Spokane, Washington state was highlighted at the presentation because of its transparency. Not only does the newsroom staff attend the morning meeting, but citizens from the community join in as well. Everyone is welcome, in person or online. The Spokesman Review wants to listen to its readers and receive their comments as part of their daily work. Every day an average of 40 to 50 people do so online and two or three individuals per week show up in person as well as many school classes.
Saturday is the new Sunday
ES, a supplement of Barcelona's La Vanguardia is one of the best examples of innovative journalism, according to Innovations. It is a magazine with about 60-64 pages divided into three broad macro sections: In Shape, The family and At Home. ES is an all-color magazine in which design and pictures are key elements. One of the most significant characteristics of the new supplement is the originality of its contents. The editor Alex Rodriguez wants ES to be "elegant and of broad interest without being low brow". ES attracts new advertiser and helps sell newspapers.
Juan Antonio Giner, one of the editors of Innovation's report, presented some ways of how to kill a newspaper:
1. Print badly
2. Don´t interact with your audience
3. Print poor color
4. Write long articles
5. Don´t bother with design
6. Pay poor salaries
7. Dont innovate
8. Expect miracles
Juan Antonio said he does not worry about the future of journalism because he is too concerned with the present, and points out that life is too short to read bad newspapers. At the presentation he tried to inspire the audience to be more innovative; "If others can do it, why can't you?" Here are some of his best tips to reinvent newspapers:
1. Be different
2. Shake things up
3. Raise hell and sell newspapers
4. Make readers smile, not depressed
5. Great stories
6. Be hyper-local
7. Integrate or die
8. Graphics, graphics, graphics
9. Try wild ideas
The newsroom of tomorrow
The 2008 Global Report on Innovations in Newspapers recommend:
1. a "Superdesk" at which the chiefs are accessible, visible and open.
2. a "Community desk" at which a team is in charge of integrating audience comments, pictures, videos, tips and opinions
3. an "Assignment desk" at which reporters, photographers, etc sit.
4. Integrated mini TV and radio studio
5. Digital walls on which the newsroom staff can see the online edition displayed at all times.
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