Interactive examples

Colombia new media editor discusses “Reportaje 360″

This post is also available in Spanish

I recently stumbled across the fascinating, and extremely innovative, multimedia series “Reportaje 360” by Colombia site elpais.com.co via French blogger Antoine Laurent. I was so impressed with the site that II Spanish editor Andrea Ballocchi interviewed Felipe Lloreda, new media editor of El Pais, to get an inside look at how they produced this series. Read on to learn how they planned, organized, and produced a site of this magnitude, and why they believe these types of interactive consoles are imperative for the future of journalism.

Q) Describe how this project came about and what the timeframe has been from brainstorming the idea to launching the site.

A) The idea for the project originated from our consultation with a Mexican communication firm, Danilo Black. We both saw the need to launch an innovative and shocking product that would break away from the traditional format seen on the Web. The benchmark we used was Reporte Indigo, a Mexican site, and the specials from El Clarin.

From this, we started in February 2009 with a group of talented people to produce this project in the New Media area. We hired a Multimedia Editor, with a masters in journalism and experience in documentary production, and several Web designers with experience in Flash and video. After presenting our idea to the board, it was approved and launched in October 2009 (It is important to note that the project was ready in August with two specials, but we couldn’t launch it due to internal problems — old model-print business).

Q) How were the sections determined, and when will future segments of this series be published?

A) There is an editorial team that meets every month and we vote about the themes to cover. Once the subject is chosen, the Multimedia Editor presents me a pre-production script so I can visualize the story concepts. Each segment takes about a month to produce, including the work in the field, design, interviews, videos, audio, photography, infographics, etc. The idea is to launch one special each month.

Q) Why did you decide to invest in multimedia for this project, and how is this series different from things you have done in the past?

A) Because the world changed. And audiences are on the Web. And our unique visitors, of elpais.com.co, just as the announcers, have to have alternatives on the Web. Our original business has changed. Also, I think that print newspapers are not going to survive unless they connect their audiences with the online audience. There are a bunch of opportunities, and this is one of them.

When was a print paper able to do TV, documentaries, videos, audio, visual narratives, shorts, video interviews, etc? Never before. Now with the Web, we have to take advantage of this amazing strength.

Q) What have your challenges been along the way in the production of this series?

A) 1. Convincing the directors that “this is it”, we change our perspective or we die.
2. Working with the print area – the convergence – they think they are good.
3. Permeate the digital culture inside the company – to sell the project internally.

The rest, actually producing the project, has been pretty easy.

Q) What is difficult to find people with the necessary skills in Colombia?

A) No, there is a lot of talent in Colombia, we just didn’t know it.

Q) How do you lead a team to complete a site of this magnitude?

A) The team we formed was very involved, so it was not difficult to lead them. Also, it was not that difficult because our area has an independent team from the print newspaper. We have designers, Web journalists, engineers, editors, etc, and they are all on the same page. Web is the future. And the future is now.

Q) What has the reaction been since you launched this site and how does the site traffic and user engagement compare to some of your past projects?

A) This package has had positive comments all around the world:
http://www.criteriondg.info/wordpress/reportaje-360%C2%BA/
http://www.multimediashooter.com/wp/linksresources/10-projects-you-must-see-now/
http://www.innovationsinnewspapers.com/?s=reportaje+360
http://www.manuelgago.org/blog/index.php/2009/10/26/cali-a-cidade-que-non-durme/
http://mediagarage.cl/?p=454
http://webmanario.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/o-jornalismo-que-transcende-o-papel/

http://antoinelaurent.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/reportaje-360-a-cali-el-pais-survole-linfo

And visits have tripled!!!!

Q) What is one lesson you learned in the production of this series?

A) That it is not THAT difficult. The difficult thing is to change the business culture. And that the innovation and the creativity are going to have a chapter in this digital era, because creativity is unlimited. Everything can be done!! But you have to focus.

Q) Is this more interactive approach to storytelling a sign of the future? If so, why do you think so?

A) This is the future, because the younger audiences don’t read the paper anymore. A simple example: take a look at a 14-16 year old. He is completely on the Web. Lives on the Web! He would never open a newspaper, even if there were naked women inside. The strength of the Web media is that we can give the user everything in an easier form — in multimedia — that is already digested. Even more, I think the Web is more interesting, shocking and overwhelming than the TV. We have to know how to take advantage of the Web, and if newspapers don’t take advantage of it who will? The future is here now! (This does not mean that newspaper have to become this. They have to have sections or specials of this kind for the younger audiences and the NEW audiences.)

Q) Is there anything else II readers should know about this package?

A) The important thing is that newspapers understand that they have to make a ‘transition’ to the Web. Since it is the future, if the boards understand where the world is going and what it is about, they will have an advantage over others who are still thinking print business!

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Like what you see? Become a fan of Reportaje360 on Facebook to stay up to date as they publish new stories each month. Currently, users can view their first two editions: “Cali, la ciudad que no duerme” (Cali, the city that never sleeps) and “La hoja sagrada” (The sacred leaf). Check back for an interview with multimedia editor Mauricio Gonzalez corresponding with the launch of their latest package, “Cali, una industria salsera” (Cali, a salsa industry), slated for December.

Other posts that might interest you:

• New York Times aggregates plethora of 2010 Winter Olympics multimedia coverage
• New York Times uses 3D animation to recreate Taliban kidnapping
• UNC launches latest multimedia project, “Living Galapagos”

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