Miguel Franjul
News through radio and television have been known to be the forerunners of the quick or even instant dissemination model, which synthesized the news rather briefly. Digital media, of this modern era, have taken advantage of this model and have implanted it as a key factor to the new language of social communications. Fifty years … Continue reading Briefness is key
Since the invention of the printed press back in 1452, books and newspapers became the best vehicles for earning knowledge and information. Before the 10th century, when humanity still didn't imagine the usefulness of the formidable novelty that later came as newspapers, books were made by manual writing. And, in that task, it was the … Continue reading The new, Benedictine monks of journalism
A real journalist has two innate values: courage to denounce any abusive power and the lack of fear to any dangers, whatever they might be. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, reporters were on deserted streets, in hospital wards, or within human crowds looking for news, at all risks. In different cities of Latin America, … Continue reading With an open heart
It may sound harsh or pessimistic, but after these violent setbacks due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, it's foreseeable that the traditional press will never be what it once was, again. Right now, with a sight of severe cutbacks in advertising, the most robust newspapers out there are publishing editions with no more than 24 … Continue reading We’ll never be again what we once were
Going from an almost artisan model to one in which most tasks are completed electronically for the production of the newspapers, has been one of the most exciting experiences in my half century career. In this new journalism ecosystem, already accustomed to a combined print-digital redaction model, the priorities of this job required a gradual … Continue reading Turning an intangible newspaper to a tangible one
In the early 1970s, the Listin hired a consultant from The New York Times to teach us how to close the one-day edition on time so that we could circulate at the streets earlier than the competition. By then, the company used to close at midnight, and we wanted to follow the NYT model, even … Continue reading The strange magic of publishing the newspapers
The pre-eminence that digital journalism has already had is on its way to new heights in a world that will open up to the “new normal”, focusing on online technologies to spread news and content of greater value, such as those that have traditionally been the strong side of the printed press. These quality inputs … Continue reading The second digital wave
Formal, traditional media, say newspapers, radio and television companies that focused on news broadcasting, have been, together, the pillars that support a free press in the world. They make a rough layer of stainless steel within the ecosystem of information that censorship has often tried to pierce with restrictive laws or the complete suppression of … Continue reading Freedom of the press, until when?
In the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, where the first effect has been the forced confinement of millions of citizens, the traditional printed press has barely survived on paid subscriptions and decimated advertising revenues. In three months of total or partial quarantines that have led to the ruin or severe state of collapse of the … Continue reading The press reborn from silence
Printed and digital media are struggling to survive the precipitous comedown in their income amid the novel coronavirus pandemic as they appeal to creative ways to sustain themselves as reliable channels of fresh and truthful information. Putting aside the concept of competition, for the first time some related media (such as TV, radio stations and … Continue reading The press’ existential crisis
