What's Next: Innovations in Newspapers, 27 June 2010

Media has failed to cover, before, during and after, the Gulf spill in such a dramatic way that some lesson must be learned.

1. If you get too close to your sources, you follow their agenda.

2. PR dominates and controls business and financial coverage more than ever.

3. “Embedded journalists” get access but a high credibility cost.

4. Online and social media networks react to the news, but are unable to anticipate or prevent them.

5. Politicians and local authorities are trap and neutralized by the constant lobby efforts

6. If you want to report these mega-events you need to be there: virtual journalism is not enough.

7. Filtering, double-checking, asking questions, going back to the past, leaning from similar disasters, and using visual journalism techniques are essential to deliver reliable and compelling news and
stories.

8. Avoid to become an activist, fair coverage includes to check with all the involved players.

9. Be aware that PR intoxication is becoming very sophisticated with online webs, search engines, and social networks.

10. As always, report the facts before the opinions. As INNOVATION’s Andrew Mango said: “facts are expensive, opinions are cheap”.

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