garciamedia

Feb. 2nd Long form journalism finds perfect home in the iPad

TAKEAWAY: All that frequent talk about iPads being a “lean back” platform may be one reason that longer narratives do so well there.  A new app celebrates the long story.  Newspaper editors may take a cue from it. 

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 31st The Daily turns one: why is it still not a habit with me?

TAKEAWAY: It’s the first newspaper entirely created for the iPad and this week The Daily turns one. Like one year olds, it’s starting to walk, has teething pains and not talking much to me yet.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 31st Money Magazine iPad app: expanding the canvas

TAKEAWAY: Money magazine has invested time and creativity in a great looking iPad app that I recommend you sample.  Following quickly in the footsteps of its print redesign, this tablet edition is elegant, clean and functional.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 30th Becoming a better media consumer in the era of “everyone’s a journalist”

TAKEAWAY: So a large member of our media audiences are involved in reporting, sharing and interacting with us directly.  Perhaps there should be an Intro to Media course taught in every high school, to prepare a generation of media consumers to be better prepared for the important role they are already playing, which is likely to grow tremendously in the future.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 26th They can’t relocate my memories of The Miami Herald’s iconic building

TAKEAWAY: So The Miami Herald is moving its operations to a different location.  To me, the building at One Herald Plaza will always be the place where I discovered what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 26th We take a look at Newsweek’s new iPad app

TAKEAWAY: It is a new iPad app for Newsweek and it may represent what magazine apps will be like in 2012: moderation rules, reading mode is king, photos shine and, well, you will find one bell and one whistle, not a dozen.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 24th Financial Times and “distilled storytelling”

TAKEAWAY: Now that the successful Financial Times series, Capitalism in Crisis,  is finished, Kevin Wilson, head of design, explains the concept of the “barcode” as a visual foundation to carry the series from one segment to the next.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 24th Newspapers in 2012: some expand, some up for sale

TAKEAWAY: It is mixed bag of news for newspapers as the last week of January 2012 starts.  One announces territorial expansions, a famous one may be up for sale, and a broadsheet Down Under beefs up coverage and makes new editorial appointments.  Welcome to the world of newspapers in an age of transitions.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 22nd Apple, textbooks and new publishing opportunities

TAKEAWAY: Apple obviously wants to create good reading habits on its extremely popular tablet, the iPad, and it wants to do it through textbooks, allowing a generation that is already quite familiar with that platform, to study and to learn from it, via textbooks.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 19th Sydney Morning Herald: good things happening here

TAKEAWAY: We conclude our reports from the Asia-Pacific region with this profile of the Sydney Morning Herald, an organization where stories come first, and each platform shines based on its own strengths. AND: A new design for Money magazine

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 18th Report from Hong Kong 2012:  #2 Evolution of a design, and what are those ads doing there?

TAKEAWAY: We take a look at a selection of pages published in the South China Morning Post since their May 16, 2011 rethinking ALSO: What happens when advertisements that pay well become too invasive? AND: Do you know some news apps that deserve to be shown in my book, Storytelling in the Times of the iPad?

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 17th Report from Hong Kong 2012:  #1 Infographics at the South China Morning Post

TAKEAWAY: We take a look at some fantastically informative infographics published in the South China Morning Post AND: Do you know some news apps that deserve to be shown in my book, Storytelling in the Times of the iPad?

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 16th Get ready for the tabletazzi

TAKEAWAY: Gossip and celebrity fanatics, the app you have been dreaming about is coming your way next month: The National Enquirer will premiere its tablet edition next month.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 15th Covering a disaster at sea

TAKEAWAY: It was supposed to be the cruise of a lifetime for many of the thousands of passengers on board the Italian cruiseliner that ran aground this weekend.  We show you how Il Secolo XIX ,Bild and other newspapers covered it.  THIS WEEK: Reporting from Hong Kong

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 13th Be(hold) the template?

TAKEAWAY: It is 2012 and it may very well be “the year of the template”.  Am I the only one hearing that word uttered more often than ever before?  ALSO: Weekend Reads, new fonts, and the Mercedes Benz-Che marketing campaign

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 12th And now: Lesson #11

TAKEAWAY: Last October in Vienna, at the WAN-IFRA Conference, I had the privilege off appearing as moderator and presenter of a panel all about the tablet.  My presentation was titled “Ten Lessons I have learned in the past 20 Months Creating News Apps”. Now I have added one more lesson for the start of 2012.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 11th That elusive total digital disconnect

TAKEAWAY: I confess: it is terribly difficult to quit our digital addictions cold turkey

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 10th Graphics that do it best

TAKEAWAY: Storytelling is often best carried out through infographics.  That’s our subject today: New York Times graphics that tell the story without the non essentials.  ALSO: Financial Times’ new series on capitalism and how it is illustrated.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 8th 2012: year of transitioning, reinventing

TAKEAWAY: It is great to be back here today after a 20-day hiatus.  Here is wishing all of you a Happy New Year and, again, thanking you for sharing your time with me each day. This first 2012 blog post is a compilation of things from here and there: my two platforms at the beach, two newspapers change name and one takes its design to the next level.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Jan. 3rd TheMarioBlog returns January 9

TAKEAWAY: Happy New Year to all of you who visit me daily in TheMarioBlog.  Hope your holiday has been restful, fun and the type that recharges you totally for the new year.  I am still in vacation mode for a few more days.  Next blog post is January 9.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 22nd At The Washington Post: the power of good storytelling with great design

TAKEAWAY: It is the end of the year and a good occasion to review these pages from The Washington Post, representing textbook examples of what happens when great stories are packaged just the right way.  This is the WED concept (writing-editing-design, the marriage of words and pictures) at its best.  The designers of these pages share the background stories in today’s blog.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 21st The design of this newsroom merits a second look

TAKEAWAY: Here is what happens when the design of the newsroom invites interaction, provides for functional, spacious areas and, eventually, leads to innovation. Check out the new newsroom of Austria’s WirtschaftsBlatt.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 20th A teddy bear made of ink on paper

TAKEAWAY:  My print copies of TIME magazine come to the rescue when I develop problems downloading the iPad edition of the newsmagazine.
Suddenly, it’s back to flipping of the pages, as opposed to swiping.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 19th About silence and disconnectedness

TAKEAWAY: The 2011 silent film, The Artist, is a big hit——perhaps because it removes us from the constant chatter.  In a world of total connectedness, print may be its equivalent.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 18th All I want for Christmas is…...well, my short list is here, Santa

TAKEAWAY: With only six days to go before Santa makes his grand entrance, I am writing my letter to him here. Hope I get my wishes for Christmas 2011!

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 15th Report from Dubai 3:  interview with Kaleej Times art director; weekend follow ups

TAKEAWAY: This is part 3 of our blog post on what I call the Arab Spring of newspaper design in the Middle East region.  Today: An interview with Roberto Canseco, art director of the newly redesigned Kaleej Times of Dubai   ALSO: Weekend follow ups for some of this week’s posts.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 14th Report from Dubai 2: design, newspapers thrive in the region

TAKEAWAY: This is part 2 of our blog post on what I call the Arab Spring of newspaper design in the Middle East region.  Today: highlighting Oman’s Times of Oman, Lebanon’s An Nahar, and Dubai’s Kaleej Times.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 13th Report from Dubai: design has its own Arab Spring in this area

TAKEAWAY: It is very satisfying to see the excitement about visual thinking and design for newspapers in this region of the world.  With newspapers still enjoying success both with readers and advertisers, design thrives, new art directors get hired, and space is given to designers to expose their creativity.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 12th It is a “good news for print” day—as Times Union signs up for brand new printing press

TAKEAWAY: In the US, the Hearst Corporation has just announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase a new press for one of its regional newspapers —the Times Union of Albany, New York. Today the bells are ringing for all of us who believe in the permanency of print as one of the platforms on which readers will be getting information for years to come.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 11th New EyeTrack study: learning how news apps tablet users’ eyes and fingers move

TAKEAWAY: It is time for a new Poynter EyeTrack study, which will be devoted to how users behave when reading news on their tablets. We enter into it with anticipation and a list of questions for which we know the industry wants answers.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 8th Creating the next generation website: Mobilista 2 Workshop

TAKEAWAY: The news online edition of now should attract, not intimidate, users.  A clean, orderly environment with some white space is the prescription.  But only after information architecture has helped to organize the content. Our Mobilista 2 workshop with the team of Austria’s financial daily, WirtschaftsBlatt , allows us to create such a website.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 8th Illustrations and newspapers: Part 2

TAKEAWAY: We take an opportunity to show a series of poster illustrations published by the Gulf News of Dubai on the occasion of the United Arab Emirates’ 40th birthday as a nation PLUS: A new Len Kubas survey of advertising execs in the US and Canada: digital is the big thing!

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 6th ‘Tis the season for the gift of illustration at the WSJ

TAKEAWAY: Nice poster part of holiday gift guide at The Wall Street Journal

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 6th Revisiting Shang, Post magazines

TAKEAWAY: We have received recent issues of two of our magazine projects of 2011: Shang, the magazine of the Shangri La Hotels, and Post, the Sunday magazine of the South China Morning Post. Both are building nicely upon the visual foundation we created. Take a look.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 4th Lou Silverstein: a real design maestro (1919-2011)

TAKEAWAY: The world of news design loses one of its most influential practitioners, one that all of us learned much from, especially that change is always possible, and design restraint is a virtue.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Dec. 1st Revisiting Dubai, Washington projects

TAKEAWAY: In this, our weekend blog post, we show you pages from Dubai’s Gulf News, as well as The Washington Post: projects that are in constant evolutions.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 30th 40 Years-40 Lessons (17)  Pause..

TAKEAWAY: This is part 17 of my occasional series 40 Years/40 Lessons, which I call a “sort of career memoir” capturing highlights and reminiscing about what has been a spectacular journey for me, doing what I love most.  Today’s segment: all about taking a daily mini vacation (or two).

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 30th Magazine apps need more of the tablet rich experience—not less

TAKEAWAY: The tablet is one of the best things that has happened to storytelling because it allows for media rich experiences that are essential to fulfilling the user’s expectations.  So why are some magazine publishers describing these experiences as mere “bells and whistles”?

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 28th Projecting into the future better than lamenting the present

TAKEAWAY: True, the day to day of running a newspaper publishing house today is challenging, but publishers need to become more visionary and start looking at 10 years from now as they make economic decisions.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 27th The art of the interview (and journalism students who don’t practice it!)

TAKEAWAY: It’s a recurring theme, and its frequency disturbs me: journalism students who ask for an interview, to which I agree, then they show a total lack of preparation with the most essential facts and details.  There was never any excuse for the unprepared reporter, but, in the era of Google, the list of excuses just got shorter.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 24th On the occasion of our 900th blog post: a video greeting

TAKEAWAY: It’s hard to believe that this is our 900th posting of TheMarioBlog.  It is also Thanksgiving Day in the United States and so a very appropriate time to thank all of you for sharing your time with me here daily. I appreciate it. I value it. I hope you continue to meet me here each day.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 23rd The question of frequency for newspapers

TAKEAWAY: It’s the elephant in the room of newsrooms, particularly in the US; will newspapers stop being “dailies” and publish less often?  The conversation continues.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 22nd The path of a news story

TAKEAWAY: How a breaking news story travels today; it begins with a Tweet, and not necessarily one written by a journalist.  The challenges of covering breaking news in the age of social media.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 22nd From here and there: a variety of topics of interest

TAKEAWAY: Some links on tablet usage, iPad magazines, the Kindle Fire, responsive web design, and more.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 22nd Gulf News Tablet: when curated editions do their unique best

TAKEAWAY: What happens when the team of a newspaper’s curated tablet edition comes together to put together a package that is unique to that platform?  Usually, the story gets a special treatment. Such was the case Monday for the Gulf News Tablet’s packaging of the political situation in Egypt.  The tablet editor tells us the story.

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 21st In Sweden: most popular cooking magazine now an app

TAKEAWAY: When it comes to cooking and entertaining, most Swedes have always turned to Icakuriren magazine as the authority. Now its wealth of recipes, party preparation tips and arts and crafts can be found in its newly introduced app.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 18th The return of those evening newspaper editions

TAKEAWAY:

Resurrection is the word many are using to describe the reappearance of the long time evening daily, Pittsburgh Press, now back as an online newspaper. Will others follow?  AND: Weekend reads.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 17th Why it’s turning into an HTML5 world

TAKEAWAY: It seems to be the indispensable item of discussion these days: the importance of HTML5.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 15th It’s good news for the media with iPads everywhere

TAKEAWAY: From the kitchen to the cockpit and in the hands of TV anchormen: it is the iPad, this incredible tablet that is making us re-evaluate a lot of what we do and how we do it—-including reading the news, of course.  PLUS: Why I like those totally crazy Bild pages

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 15th Tablet design: several ways to go with look and feel

TAKEAWAY: It is a decision that must be made early, how will your tablet edition look when the user’s eyes first land on it?

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 14th It’s Monday: time for a variety of musings from cookbooks to ciao to bunga bunga, and more

TAKEAWAY: Cooking and iPad apps: the way we follow a recipe may be changing ALSO: Ciao to bunga bunga time AND: Ads that sparkle

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 10th New Straits Times: it is 11-11-11 and launch day

TAKEAWAY: Finally the day it is here, all those number one’s, 11-11-11, which have resonated in the newsroom of the New Straits Times for about six months, at first a distant date with perfect symmetry of numbers, then the realization that with the creation of the last prototype, we were weeks away from D-day. This is our final in a series of blog posts leading to today’s launch: see the pages, read about the stylistic details, share the fun of the day.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 9th New Straits Times relaunch: The Digital Platforms

TAKEAWAY: As the countdown to 11-11-11 gets closer, we devote this week’s blog to the rethinking of the new New Straits Times of Malaysia. Today: the digital platforms undergo change, too Tomorrow: It is launch day!

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 8th New Straits Times relaunch: Creating the Color Palette

TAKEAWAY: As the countdown to 11-11-11 gets closer, we devote this week’s blog to the rethinking of the new New Straits Times of Malaysia. Today: the role of color   Tomorrow: Rethinking the digital side of the NST

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 7th New Straits Times relaunch: The Typography

TAKEAWAY: As the countdown to 11-11-11 gets closer, we devote this week’s blog to the rethinking of the new New Straits Times of Malaysia. Today: the typographic scheme that readers will see starting Friday. Tomorrow: color palettes

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 6th Coming this week: the 11-11-11 relaunch of New Straits Times

TAKEAWAY: Reporting all of this week from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as the team and I launch the new look and rethinking of the New Straits Times, across all platforms.  Stay tuned for a series of blog posts about the behind the scenes.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 4th Working Mother: well deserved Folio honor for the magazine

TAKEAWAY: It took several months to complete the total rethinking of Working Mother magazine, but the efforts have paid off, both with the readers who like the changes, as well as with those tough jurors at Folio, which have awarded Working Mother the 2011 Folio Ozzie Gold Award for Best Redesign, Consumer!  ALSO: At the New Straits Times of Malaysia, the final push as the day, 11-11-11, approaches for relaunch across platforms

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 3rd Evenings, the iPad and the lean back connection

TAKEAWAY: The evidence seems reassuring and conclusive: for a large number of iPad users, the evening appears to be the preferred time to kick back, take off their shoes and engage in all that the iPad offers.  In a recent speech, the chairman of the New York Times Arthur Sulzberger, confirms it. Indeed, he says, you can get in bed with your audience.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 2nd Tampa Bay Times coming soon: great chance for reinvention of a giant of the regional press

TAKEAWAY: It is obvious that the St. Petersburg Times, one of the best regional dailies in the US, is ready to make a quick dash across the bridge that connects Tampa and St. Petersburg as it lauches its new name Tampa Bay Times.  Time for a new nameplate?

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Nov. 1st Thanks for all your feedback

TAKEAWAY: You still can fill out our survey questionnaires, but we are happy with the responses we have had as we rethink the Garcia Media brand and its website.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 31st Monday musings and some Halloween fun with Bild

TAKEAWAY: Happy Halloween to all.  Our Monday musings include assorted items of interest from here and there. PLUS: Bild’s pop up gets spooky

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 28th Enter Our GarciaMedia.com Survey

TAKEAWAY: Only a few more days for you to take our survey and be entered to win a 45-minute Skype consultation with me. PLUS: After 879 posts, a look back at what I set out to do with TheMarioBlog.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 27th Marketing the media quartet

TAKEAWAY: If you believe that the story comes first, then the platforms through which it travels, then your marketing needs to reflect that idea. PLUS: Final days to tell us how you would improve the Garcia Media website. Send us your questionnaire now!

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 26th An interview with Ethan Marcotte: discussing the new Boston Globe website

TAKEAWAY: Here is our three-minute interview with Ethan Marcotte, who worked closely with the team creating the new Boston Globe website.  ALSO: Keep those questionnaires coming. Your thoughts and suggestions to improve the Garcia Media website are helpful to us.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 25th The marketing of our profession

TAKEAWAY: The Newspaper Association of America has the right idea with its marketing campaign. Newspapers are not dead, quite the contrary, it says: newspapers offer something extra. PLUS: Our thanks for your participation in our survey to rethink the website AND: In Libya, the newspaper boom post Gadaffi

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 23rd Starting to Rethink GarciaMedia.com

TAKEAWAY: We need your help: please fill out our survey about GarciaMedia.com to be eligible to win a forty-five minute Skype consultation with me. PLUS: A reflection on nearing 900 blog posts.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 20th Creating some basic pop up moments in your tablet

TAKEAWAY: If you are currently designing your first tablet edition, or preparing a second version, make sure that “pop up” moments are on the menu.  Here is a good start: basic pop ups that go a long way to satisfy the user, and the curious finger. PLUS: Tons of great things to read this weekend, we offer you suggestions of “don’t miss” articles

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 19th Emphasizing the New in New Straits Times, Part 4—Getting the team excited

TAKEAWAY: With about three weeks left before the launch of new rethinking and new design for all of their platforms, the team of the New Straits Times of Malaysia, prepares for the big day.  The marketing department has already mounted the internal campaign: to get the team excited in house. Then will come the media campaign.  The theme of both: publishing with a sharper edge.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 18th Emphasizing New in the New Straits Times, Part 3—a new tablet edition

TAKEAWAY: With November 11 less than a month away, we put finishing touches on all aspects of the New Straits Times’ rethinking.  Today we work with the tablet team, creating the new 2.5 version, checking navigation, adding texture and details.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 17th Emphasizing the New in the New Straits Times: Part 2

TAKEAWAY: The real rethinking of a media house involves more than the redesign of its products. It also should include a rethinking of the newsroom and how editors and journalists sit and interact with each other. At the New Straits Times, the changes are obvious through the sounds of hammers and saws in action. Take a peek. The fish tank? Almost gone.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 16th Monocle 24 Radio: the sounds of life when it is witty and smart

TAKEAWAY: Tune in to Monocle radio starting today and let Tyler Brulé‘s team connect you to the topics, people and things that epitomize life as it should be. There is music, too. I am interviewed today, the first day of programming.  ALSO: Reporting from Kuala Lumpur all of this week as the New Straits Times newsroom tears the walls down on the way to a total rethinking for a multi platform wall

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 14th Ten Lessons about news app creation: a panel discussion at WAN IFRA in Vienna

TAKEAWAY: It is presentation day for me today at the WAN IFRA 63rd World Newspaper Congress. I moderate a panel on The Steps Towards a Successful Tablet Application  PLUS: In touch with that printed magazine AND: The iPad as window dressing in Luxembourg

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 13th At the WAN IFRA Congress in Vienna: looking at an industry in transition

TAKEAWAY: The 63rd World Newspaper Congress opens in Vienna today with seminars and discussions centered around the theme Taking Publishing to the Next Level. I prepare to moderate a panel Friday all about tablet publishing. We cover the WAN IFRA Congress live the next two days. AND: A mini iPad in the makings?

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 12th News websites prepare for next generation: less is best

TAKEAWAY: It was an electrifying day of dissecting news websites, sampling one model after the other on the screen, and then retrieving to concentrate on what the new generation WirstshaftsBlatt online will look like. It was part of the Mobilista workshop in Vienna Tuesday. Highlights of the workshop here. PLUS: Two interesting Bild pop ups

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 11th Print makes an unexpected appearance

TAKEAWAY: Who would have guessed it?  A printed “version” of The (Occupied) Wall Street Journal gets distributed during one of the Occupy Wall Street protests. So members of the Google generation turned to ink and paper to make a statement? Surprise. ALSO: The Mobilista workshop: discussing how a media house develops its digital strategy at WirtschaftsBlatt of Austria

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 10th Interview with Jeff Goertzen as he prepares to join USA Today

TAKEAWAY: He has been one of the most influential newspaper infographics artists of the past 20 years. Now, Jeff Goertzen will join USA Today. We conduct a three minute interview with Jeff.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 6th The world’s newspapers pay tribute to Steve Jobs

TAKEAWAY: These pages impressed us with their tributes to Steve Jobs.

6 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 5th Mankind mourns a giant

TAKEAWAY: Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 5th Seduction and platforms: which one does it best?

TAKEAWAY: It is all about grabbing the attention of that ever impatient, busy and forever curious member of the audience.  We all try to seduce, through photos, headlines, illustrations. Is it possible that the new digital technology can seduce quicker than print, for example? Or, is it all about the content, regardless of the platform? An Australian with a fascinating illustration asks the question.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 4th A very special honor from the University of Missouri

TAKEAWAY: What an honor to receive the Medal of Honor for Distinguished Service in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism!  AND: Adobe, WoodWing a marriage made in tablet heaven

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Oct. 2nd Andy Warhol had the right idea about over the top tabloid design

TAKEAWAY: A new Andy Warhol exhibit in the nation’s capital, titled Warhol: Headlines, highlights the pop artist’s fascination with the tabloid press.  ALSO: Reporting from the University of Missouri campus

2 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 30th The “Ikea effect” and print: touch it, feel it, remember it?

TAKEAWAY: It is the Ikea effect that may give print an edge, after all: if you hold it and touch it, then it all stays with you longer.  Can tablets be the closest thing to giving us that feeling?  PLUS: Adonis Durado, the brilliant and passionate designer behind the new cover of SND’s 32nd edition book

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 28th The new Kindle Fire is here; a new tablet to compete with the iPad?

TAKEAWAY: Amazon’s new Kindle Fire announced: could its price and other details make it the iPad competitor many have been waiting for?  AND: The Financial Times’ glossy mag, How to Spend It, now an app.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 27th The acrobatics of news apps: lean forward, lean back, stay in, go out!

TAKEAWAY: Who says that a news app cannot have it all?  Well, first we must find out what ALL is.  Users wish to have a tablet experience that allows them to lean forward, lean back and get as many of their senses involved as possible.  Some tablets are already aiming to please!

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 26th Amazon’s new tablet may fire up the competition

TAKEAWAY: So Amazon is about to unveil its new tablet, the Kindle Fire: could this be the real competitor for the ever so popular iPad?

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 25th A Hollywood view of the art director, with typography and a swiping finger in cameo roles

TAKEAWAY: ‘As romantic comedies go, Friends with Benefits, deviates from the cliché. It is fast giddy fun with great acting.  Typography, art direction and the iPad make cameo appearances, so does the ever impatient finger on the screen.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 23rd Breaking news and the people in the central square

TAKEAWAY: It was a full day of discussion about breaking news in the age of Twitter and Facebook for the European Association of News Agencies (EANA) in Geneva, Switzerland: here is a recap and the challenges facing those in the news business when everyone’s a journalist

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 21st News agencies and social media: challenges of producing news when everyone’s a “journalist”

TAKEAWAY: The European Association of News Agencies gather in Geneva, Switzerland,  for the next two days for a conference about their role and the challenges of producing news in the era of social media, I join the group as a speaker today PLUS:  Brazil launches its new tablet,Positivo Ypy—-could it be the start of many tablet editions for Latin American newspapers and magazines?

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 21st For those looking for design inspiration: two projects to share

TAKEAWAY: A new film poster book about movies made in Cuba after the revolution shows great ideas ALSO: In Spain, a new fashion magazine

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 20th Scandinavia Report: one newspaper redesigns, another introduces new iPad app

TAKEAWAY: My Scandinavia reports continue. Today, the new look of Sweden’s newspaper, Dagens Nyheter; in Norway, the financial daily, Dagens Naeringsliv, introduces its first app edition

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 19th For Bild of Germany: turning the Pope’s visit into a giant poster event!

TAKEAWAY: When Pope Benedict XVI comes to Germany, Bild zeitung prepares well, and, as it always does, it is over the top——in this case a giant poster of the smiling Pope covering 19 floors of the Axel Springer Building, Bild’s home, in Berlin.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 15th Report from Sweden: from street posters to apps

TAKEAWAY: Reporting from Sweden today, as my so called Scandinavian Tour continues. It is a new photo-driven iPad app for the Goteborgs Posten  PLUS: Special links for weekend readings AND: A new Apple store for Hamburg

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 14th Ten tips to get into a thriving mode soon

TAKEAWAY: Don’t know about you, but all the talk about survival is making me weary.  I propose that we abandon the survival mode and concentrate on doing great things now that we have “survived”. Get into a thriving mode.

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 14th In Philadelphia: an experiment with the tablet

TAKEAWAY: All eyes may be on the Philadelphia experiment—the Inquirer and Daily News go for “first-of-a-kind tablet plan” using Android tablets to generate digital content adoption . Will it succeed with a tablet that few have ever heard of?

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 13th The new Boston Globe website: innovative, functional, sets the pace

TAKEAWAY: Take a look at the new Boston Globe website, worthy of a second and third look by anyone interested in studying what a solid, attractive and informative newspaper website should look like.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 11th Remembrances of 9-11: some special packages

Update #2: Monday, Sept. 12, Copenhagen, Denmark, 07:15

TAKEAWAY: Newspapers and magazines globally worked on special presentations for the 10th anniversary of 9-11.  We show you several that called our attention, although we are sure there are many others that excelled.

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 8th Remembering 9-11: learning the real meaning of change

TAKEAWAY: This weekend we all stop to remember 9-11, the one day when we learned the infamy of man made horror. It was a day of change, the type that marks us forever PLUS: TIME magazine produces a 9-11 special app AND: Special packages about 9-11 remembrances

3 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 7th Tabloids in the news: some renew, some disappear, but still the way to go!

TAKEAWAY: In Singapore, The New Paper——not so new anymore—-goes for a total makeover, while in Chicago, The Chicago Tribune says goodbye to its not so old tabloid edition. And, of course, in the UK, “tabloid” is that dirty word that is constantly attached to the phrase phone-hacking affair. Yet, it is still the format to go for!

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 6th Branding was never this fun

TAKEAWAY: Logos have traditionally stayed unmoved, representatives of a what a brand stands for, its history, the recognizable symbol that establishes a sense of familiarity and intimacy between user and brand. Google’s logo is an exception. It changes with the date, and it could even be different from one country to the next, yet we all recognize it, a cameleon that is always familiar.  Behind each logo transformation: a story.  ALSO: Preparing for the next big news event—-the Hillary October surprise?

0 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia

Sep. 5th Ralph Lauren and the Times: a marriage made in tablet advertising heaven

TAKEAWAY: This is the presidential suite of tablet advertising: Ralph Lauren buys the hottest piece of advertising real estate in the tablet neighborhood.  It shows the way for advertisers who want to emphasize storytelling. Great stuff here AND: Report from Dubai—-it is a new weekly for the Metro here. It is simply called Read.

1 comments Posted by Dr. Mario R. Garcia