garciamedia

Dec. 3rd The Obama victory front pages: a collector’s keepsake

TAKEAWAY: We all know that Nov. 4, 2008 was a historic date as Sen. Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. A book published by The Poynter Institute for Media Studies captures the moment in a collection of 75 front pages from the nation’s newspapers.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 2nd Newspapers: the new era files

TAKEAWAY: Change comes ferociously quickly to newspapers across the land. Here are two interesting views about such change that I found provoking.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 1st Meet the Printnets: your new audience

TAKEAWAY: I call them the printnets, and they are easily at home reading newspapers and magazines in print, but can quickly move on to surf the Internet.
They can read deeply and get into a story, but they are also master scanners. For now, they are a sizeable presence that we must pay attention to.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 27th Luxembourg : the smell of success for the free dailies

TAKEAWAY: With two free daily newspapers, readers in tiny but beautiful Luxembourg now have a variety of choices when it comes to their newspaper. In spite of a bad global economy, the free newspapers doing well here.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 25th The Power of Storytelling

TAKEAWAY: Aesop’s fables are as interesting today as they were when originally created in the days of ancient Greece when they were believed to have been divinely inspired. As a communicator, I see them as fantastic examples of how to present a story in a succint manner, yet engaging readers from the first word.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 24th In Brazil: a new look for Diario do Para

TAKEAWAY:  Sometimes just being the leader in the market is not enough for a newspaper. The leader must continue to improve and to present better offers to its readers. Such is the case for Diario do Pará, published in the Amazon region of Brazil. Garcia Media Latinoamerica worked with Diario’s team.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 24th In Brazil: a new look for Diario do Para

TAKEAWAY:  Sometimes just being the leader in the market is not enough for a newspaper. The leader must continue to improve and to present better offers to its readers. Such is the case for Diario do Pará, published in the Amazon region of Brazil. Garcia Media Latinoamerica worked with Diario’s team.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 22nd Saturday Sequels

TAKEAWAY: Mario is still playing one of his favorite roles: grandfather. As a result, I am more of a media consumer (not a bad thing),and less a media participant. Here are some thoughts from the week.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 17th The Sunday Nation of Thailand adopts narrower format

TAKEAWAY: In what appears to be the way to go for broadsheets around the world, the Sunday edition of The Nation of Thailand, has adopted a narrower format. It will not be a long time perhaps before the daily edition of The Nation does the same.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 16th This week again: Mario the grandfather

TAKEAWAY: For the second consecutive week, I play one of my favorite roles—-that of the grandfather.  I promise to interrupt my Abo duties if something of interest develops that I think should be posted in TheMarioBlog.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 11th Introducing David Mario Lazaro

TAKEAWAY: Of course, all babies are beautiful, especially to proud grandparents. This one, however, as I told my daughter Elena when I met him today is bound to be special! Remember, you read it in TheMarioBlog first.  Yes, call this entry TheAboBlog, and join me in welcoming this cute little fellow, David Mario Lazaro, into the world.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 8th More Obama Victory Front Pages

TAKEAWAY: All of this week we have been displaying interesting front pages following the U.S. Presidential Election. Today, Dr. Pegie Stark Adam sends us her favorites, with commentary. Updated Monday, November 10

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 7th Yes We Can design front pages that surprise

TAKEAWAY: Offering page one surprises in this never-stopping news cycle can be difficult, which is why we have selected some front pages from around the world that do just that.
Hope you enjoy them. Notice the headlines and how they emphasize simplicity, sometimes with only one word.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 6th Obama victory and European coverage

TAKEAWAY:   Most European newspapers had gone to press while American voters were still lining up to vote. Many of them handled it in creative ways.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 4th On the day of U.S. elections: the Spanish press praises America

TAKEAWAY: Reading the Spanish newspapers, one can’t help but to feel proud of being an American on the day of the U.S. 2008 presidential elections.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 3rd New and old myths of newspaper design conclusion

TAKEAWAY: Today we profile the last of the myths, and add two new ones that are quickly gaining myth status.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 2nd Obama media blitz for European Sunday editions;also, more myths of news design

TAKEAWAY: .The unmistakeable Obama smile jumped out of the front pages of a variety of newspapers this Sunday in Europe. With the US 2008 Elections two days away, editors did not spare space for news analyses, commentary, and features about the Illinois Senator and his historic quest for the White House.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 31st The 10 Myths of Newspaper Design Still Ring True Today

TAKEAWAY: Many of you have written to ask me for a copy of the now legendary 10 Myths about Newspaper Design, originally published in my book, Newspaper Evolutions (1996).  Here they are. Surprisingly, they are still almost as valuable today. I add a couple of new ones. Today, I present the first four myths. The rest to follow during the weekend.

5 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 29th New pages of La Tribune: success story in Paris

TAKEAWAY: As La Tribune introduced its new Berliner format, new branding and a brand new focus on how to present the financial news of the day, the public reacted in a most positive way, and there were no copies of the newspaper left anywhere the first three days of the new look.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 28th The Christian Science Monitor: creating the model of the future?

TAKEAWAY: I have said it repeatedly: the newspaper of the future is likely to be an online product with a robust weekend edition and several supplements. The Monitor may become the laboratory for such experiments.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 26th La Tribune launches a new formula and Berliner format for the Google generation

TAKEAWAY: Perhaps it is easier the second time around: we at Garcia Media were involved in the 2006 rethinking of France’s financial daily 
 La Tribune
; now, with new ownership, new editors and a dramatically different philosophy, the more colorful, more precise and easier to navigate 
 La Tribune
  is here.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 24th The “real” tabloid is back: Weekly World News online, and soon in print

TAKEAWAY: Who among us has not stopped to read the 350-point headline on that wacky Weekly World News front page? From Elvis sightings (thousands reported), to aliens landing on the side of Interstate 4, it was all here, providing the three-minute chuckle we could all use at that long supermarket cashier’s line. The Weekly World News went away a year ago, now it is back. Does it need a redesign?

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 23rd Los Angeles Times redesign: few surprises, more color, less classic

TAKEAWAY:   At least the first day of the new Los Angeles Times redesign did not show a big leap into the future; however, it embraces more color and appears to settle comfortably into a more contemporary style than its usual more classic design.

9 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 21st A design mini-moment: MINT and The Wall Street Journal

TAKEAWAY: It is two years since we created the design for the new Indian financial daily, Mint.  Now we look back at one development during the design phase.
All is well that ends blue.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 21st Thoughts while running: creating those hard-to-read computer literacy tests

TAKEAWAY: We all see them, those wiggly letters that appear at the bottom of so many web pages, asking us to decipher them before we can proceed.
Is this the anti-typography?

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 19th Amsterdam 2008 Marathon Weekend: cool, windy and now over

Another race, another exciting time in a spectacular city. The 2008 Amsterdam Marathon and other races is over.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 17th From newspaper company to mega multimedia house: VG of Norway shows us the way

TAKEAWAY: Amsterdam: At the World Association of Newspapers’ 11tth Readership Conference, Verdens Gang CEO, Torry Pedersen, outlines a success story, with tips for others to follow——-when it comes to print and web integration, Pedersen recommends “integrated separation”. Updated Sunday, Oct. 19th

8 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 16th Print is eternal but it needs to focus content

It is paper that becomes the secret weapon of printed newspapers, what the other technologies try so hard to emulate, says William Powers, who was keynote speaker at the annual Readership Conference of the World Association of Newspapers in Amsterdam on Oct. 16. I am attending this conference and will speak Friday, Oct. 17.

9 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 15th Ally Palmer Interview: Smaller newspapers have to be smarter

TAKEAWAY: A three-minute interview with designer Ally Palmer: “we’re working in an industry which is, for the most part, managing decline, but there’s also no doubt that print still has a place in the modern media landscape.“

6 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 14th Explaining the financial mess: calling Nigel Holmes

TAKEAWAY: He is the ultimate graphic thinker to make the complicated easier for the rest to understand. He is Nigel Holmes, one of British’s greatest exports to America—-long before Tina Brown.  He is back trying to show us the way in the midst of the current financial crisis.

16 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 13th El Centro: A Mexican newspaper laughs all the way to the end

TAKEAWAY: It was lively. It was funny, tongue in cheek and aimed at young readers in the Mexican capital. It ceased publication Oct. 11, no longer able to sustain itself.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 13th The fun factor in newspapers during time of crisis

strong>TAKEAWAY: Ask an American editor about British journalism and the likely answer will probably be “racy”; ask a British editor the same question about U.S. newspapers and you are likely to hear something like “bloody serious”.

7 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 11th Covering the financial crisis in Italy: Il Secolo shows its front pages

TAKEAWAY: We have used this blog during the past week to discuss visual coverage of the financial crisis that grips the globe.  The design director of Il Secolo XIX of Genoa, Italy, shares his pages and insights with us.

6 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 10th Surprises on Page One: Ben Franklin to the rescue at the St. Petersburg Times

TAKEAWAY: This week we have been discussing visual coverage of the financial crisis that seems to engulf the globe for the past two weeks. Here is an example of an illustration on Page One: quite successful, surprising, tells the story well, and stops the reader, making him want to read more.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 9th Another arrow pointing down? What to do to avoid visual repetition

TAKEAWAY: The Dow Jones plunges below 9000. One more day of chaos in the financial markets worldwide. We will wake up to front pages with those arrows pointing down. Oh, no, not again.  When does an image become a visual cliché?

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 8th US dailies experiment with front pages

TAKEAWAY: The good news is that the front pages of many U.S. dailies are experimenting and looking for new ways of presenting information: what do they wish to be when they grow up?

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 8th Elite newspapers, free newspapers: the future lies somewhere here

TAKEAWAY: Some may be highly analytic, others may be more mass market and free: newspapers will redefine themselves to be quite different from the way we know them today.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 7th The Tampa Tribune: another soft relaunch, not a redesign

TAKEAWAY: This is my hometown newspaper, so I am a reader of the Tribune.  I feel the changes are light, but redesigns take time to evolve—-and to grow on the readers.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 5th Salzburger Nachrichten: The Austrian daily goes for a soft relaunch

TAKEAWAY: Nine years after Garcia Media did the first major redesign of the Salzburger Nachrichten, the publisher now opted for a “soft relaunch”. We tell you how it was done.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 4th Sunday Sequel: magazine vs. newspaper design; Paris Match case study

TAKEAWAY: The design of a magazine and a newspaper share several characteristics, but there are differences too. We discuss the issue in this posting.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 1st Paris Match: the remaking of a French institution

Updated October 2, 11:30 pm EST

TAKEAWAY: Paris Match is more than a magazine, it is an icon of French journalism. As it turns 60, it gets a new look, a new reorganization, but preserves all that has made it the grand dame of magazines anywhere. The premiere issue with new look is out today: we tell you about our experience working with the Paris Match team.

7 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 1st The Oklahoman, Day 3: Reacting to what readers say about a redesign

TAKEAWAY: It never fails: with every redesign project comes a mixed reaction from the readers; however, it is the ones who don’t like the new look who write, phone and email more consistently. Here I answer your three questions about it.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 29th The Oklahoman: readers’ reactions to the new format

TAKEAWAY: Some like us, some don’t. It takes time for readers to get used to a new design of their newspaper, and especially a totally different, narrower format. Here is what the first day callers told us at The Oklahoman.

36 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 28th The Oklahoman adopts narrower format, gets new look, total rethinking

TAKEAWAY: The Oklahoman project launches today. Readers will see a narrower (44”) and longer format, different fonts, better navigation, more color. Most importantly, even the newspaper’s nameplate has been redesigned.

5 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 28th London’s The Independent: redesigning the redesign to make it more British

TAKEAWAY: The design of newspapers is forever linked to the practices and styles that are deep rooted in how dailies are presented in a specific country.
This remake of The Independent brings back the British touch. Plus: Newspaper front pages pay tribute to one of Hollywood’s best loved actors, Paul Newman.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 27th Type-obsessed designer wanted: here is where to apply

TAKEAWAY: Interested in working in New York City with one of the most exciting type foundries anywhere? Here is a chance. We answer your questions about why a newspaper should be redesigned. Read on.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 26th At the International Herald Tribune: the glossy page one ad turns irresistible

TAKEAWAY: It shines. It is a giant poster, and it offers excellent revenue, the glossy page one wrap around ad is a staple of the International Herald Tribune several times a year, and becoming more popular with newspapers worldwide.
Here is why.

8 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 24th When announcing a redesign: use caution and originality

TAKEAWAY: So it is time to tell the readers that your newspaper or magazine has a new “look”. Of course, you need to tell your readers about it. How? Some tips for you here.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 23rd 100 postings later: musings about what keep us going

TAKEAWAY: TheMarioBlog completes its 100th posting today. Good opportunity to stop and wonder why we do this, how we do it, what inspires us, and be thankful for the many of you who join me daily in this platform.

8 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 23rd Brussels’ DeMorgen: showing the effective evolution of a design

TAKEAWAY: Four years after its redesign with Garcia Media, the Belgian daily DeMorgen flexes its muscles with a new approach to design, use of color——and a newly revamped Saturday edition (look at the navigator).

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 22nd Bob Newman on magazine design today: not a particularly good time for imagination and creative image

TAKEAWAY: Robert Newman is currently the consulting art director at Cottage Living and O, the Oprah magazine. He has been the design director of Fortune, Entertainment Weekly, New York, Details, Vibe, Inside, The Village Voice and Guitar World, and was creative director of Real Simple. He is past president of the Society of Publication Designers.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 19th When look and feel don’t “feel” right

TAKEAWAY: What happens when a publication wants to appeal to an elite audience, and even names itself FT Wealth, but the design does not spell wealth, more like rough trade.

4 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 18th Strategies to create a front page with impact: covering the financial crisis

TAKEAWAY: Today we show you various approaches to presenting a major story on Page One: from the use of photos to infographics, to type attacks, it is all here. Front pages that work in establishing hierarchy, and transmitting instantly the impact of a major story. Not two are alike, all are effective in their treatment of the news event.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 17th The new WSJ.com: a positive, radical departure

TAKEAWAY: The Wall Street Journal has totally rethought and redesigned its website. It is crisp, elegant, easy to follow. It shows that there are dramatic changes taking place inside the WSJ. In this case, good thing for the readers.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 16th Arrows pointing south: front pages tell story of Wall Street woes

TAKEAWAY: The front pages everywhere turn to big headlines and giant graphics when the market moves abruptly down.  Also today: Yale Daily News one week after launch, and, vanity newspapers are here. Create your own.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 15th How newspapers view possible Google-Yahoo search ad deal—plus wrap-around ads for Xpress of Bangkok

TAKEAWAY: We continue to see the emergence of wrap-around ads as important revenue-producing alternative for newspapers everywhere; meanwhile, the possible Google-Yahoos search advertising deal is opposed by newspaper organizations.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 14th Online advertising: making progress—plus Sunday Sequels

TAKEAWAY: Text ads gaining ground over flashy display ads online—-also why sports pages use bolder fonts.

9 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 13th Life in the upper deck of the giant Airbus A380

TAKEAWAY: First, the excitement of boarding this much-discussed super jumbo Airbus A380, then a bit of disappointment with the service. Perhaps service on board is more important than the size of the aircraft. And, alas, no conga line on the aisles. Read on.

107 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 11th That space above the front page’s nameplate is prime real estate

TAKEAWAY: When editors lower the placement of the newspaper’s nameplate to incorporate an element at the very top of the page, they are bringing attention to a special item, photo or story.  Especially for newspapers that depend on street sales, this is the way to go.

8 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 10th Lucie Lacava talks about typography, inspiration and her latest projects

TAKEAWAY: In a Three-Minute Interview, Lucie cites sources of inspiration (from fashion to furniture), favorite fonts (Bodoni ranks high on her list), plus culture and design ( North American newspapers are more traditional).

30 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 9th The Philadelphia Inquirer: a success story

TAKEAWAY: Brian Tierney, publisher and CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer brings his newspaper’s success story to an audience of editors and publishers in Australia.
“Some editors believe that they have to give editors what they need, NOT what they want. That’s stupid.“

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 8th Ed Arnold Scholarship established

TAKEAWAY: For five decades, Ed Arnold was the quintessential newspaper design guru.  Now Syracuse University, where he taught for many years, will offer a $5000 scholarship honoring him.

26 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 6th In the lap of luxury: the new WSJ magazine is here

Updated Sunday night, Sept. 7, Australian time

TAKEAWAY: Graphics depicting the global economy –especially for the U.S. and Europe—show downward pointing arrows all the time; however, magazines pursue the luxury audience with zest. The newest entry is The Wall Street Journal’s WSJ, which premiered today worldwide.

12 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 5th TheMarioClassroom: Today’s video, Typography 1—the basics

TAKEAWAY:  First in a series of six three-minute videos devoted to typography, we explain the anatomy of a letter, and how to look at selected letters when making font choices.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 3rd Color and typography in the newly designed Yale Daily News

TAKEAWAY: Two of the most important elements of a redesign project are the choice of a color palette and the typographic scheme. Today, Dr. Pegie Stark Adam and Reed Reibstein discuss color and type and how choices were made as we produced the new look of the Yale Daily News.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 2nd The Class of 2012 arrives at Yale University, so does the newly rethought Yale Daily News

TAKEAWAY: The Yale Daily News is 130 years old, but today it premiered a new look as 10000 plus students arrive on campus for the start of a new academic year. Of special interest: the arriving freshmen don’t remember life without the Internet.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 1st The nation’s oldest college daily ready to premiere new look

TAKEAWAY:  The Yale Daily News team is ready to launch the first issue of the newspaper following six months of a total rethinking. It is just in time for the Class of 2012 to make its grand entrance as well.

9 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 31st The Obama Poster Front Pages: delivering a punch

TAKEAWAY:  More than 80000 stood in line for hours to get into the stadium where Obama accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination; many millions watched it on TV. The next morning, newspapers had to be creative in their presentation. We show you some that did.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 30th Free newspaper for LA? If so, welcome

TAKEAWAY: While paid dailies in the United States and Europe have seen fast declining circulations in the past ten years, free newspapers have seen their circulation climb to more than 30 million worldwide.  They attract readers and advertisers. A good thing.

16 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 28th Where the innovators are: one reader’s view

TAKEAWAY: In one of our recent postings, we discussed why U.S. newspapers lag behind others around the world, using various examples, including Dubai’s Gulf News.
One reader offers his own view of where real innovation is taking place. We are happy to present his views. We invite your comments as well.

27 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 27th In Brazil: Folha de Sao Paulo excels in Olympic coverage

TAKEAWAY: Less than a week since the Beijing Olympics came to a close, we discover some of the most exciting pages covering the event.  Folha de Sao Paulo’s designer Marcio Freitas shares his experience.

11 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 26th That was not a fiddler on my roof

TAKEAWAY: If one lives in the beautiful and often sunny state of Florida, one also knows that from time to time tropical storms and hurricanes come visit us. Although Tropical Storm Fay did not do as much damage in Tampa, the place I call home, it managed to bring plenty of wind, rain, thunder and lightning.

10 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 26th Gravitas, page one and the “serious” newspaper

TAKEAWAY: It is not easy to convince editors of a certain mentality that “gravitas” is not defined by 1000 words of text on Page One. But we try.

14 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Aug. 24th Classic design as good today as it was in 1969: Minneapolis Tribune

TAKEAWAY:  Frank Ariss, who created the all-Helvetica look of the Minneapolis Tribune tells us about his work today in a three-minute interview.

6 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia