It is always an honor when we at Garcia Media get called to assist with transformational efforts on the part of a newspaper group. The honor is greater when we are invited to participate a third time in such a transformation.
That’s exactly how it has been for our professional relationship with The Hindu Group of Chennai, India, where the Garcia Media team has just completed a total rethink of two of its titles: The Hindu and Business Line. The new concept launched September 20, 2022.
While our other engagements with The Hindu (2005 and 2013) concentrated primarily on the design, this time we have worked closely with the teams of both newspapers to transform the newsroom and move it to a mobile first mode. We have also created a new design concept for The Hindu, and a more radical design transformation for Business Line.
As in the rest of the world, Indians are consuming news more often via mobile devices, as you can see in this quote from a 2019 Reuters Institute report:
Scope of the project
We set out to accomplish two important goals with this project:
- Develop a series of internal training workshops to create an awareness of the importance of moving to a mobile-first newsroom, including the specifics of storytelling for mobile, and planning all stories from the small to the large platforms, and not vice versa.
- Create a design that would include the same language across platforms, while giving print a place within the platform ecosystem that makes the newspapers stand out, capitalizing on what print can do best, as in the use of larger images.
I personally wrote about the changes for The Hindu in a column that appeared in the newspaper the day of the launch, which you can read here:
https://newspaperdesign.in/the-hindu-redesigned-for-mobile-world/
The new look
Our emphasis has been on elegance and functionality, starting on page one.
While the front pages look newsy, an effort is made to write headlines that advance stories, and do not repeat what has been reported on the digital platforms.
The Sunday front page concept
Branding elements
Promoting the new transformation
Here is how the teams of The Hindu and Business Line presented the new look and mobile first approach via social media:
Our Garcia Media team
Rodrigo Fino, President, Senior Art Director, Garcia Media Latinamerica
Paula Ripoll, Vice President, Senior Art Director, Garcia Media Latinamerica
Miguel Ángel Gomez, designer/consultant
Of related interest about this project
- The Hindu: Digital is the way forward, says KTR at launch of redesigned The Hindu
- Bussines Line: A redesign to renew our commitment to credibility, trust, and you
- Bussines Line: What the leaders say about businessline
- PR Newswire: India’s Iconic newspapers The Hindu and businessline unveil new design
- MediaNews: The Hindu and businessline newspapers unveil new design
- Newspaper Design: Bussines Line redisigned
- Newspaper Design: We have managed to achieve a good balance:Mario Garcia
- Newspaper Design: The Hindu redesigneed for mobile world
The Hindu Project: Blog en español
https://www.garciamedia.com.ar/redisenos-de-diarios-impresos-en-la-era-del-telefono-movil/
For the complete guide to mobile storytelling: The Story
I urge you to consult my latest book, The Story, a trilogy full of tips and explanations about mobile storytelling, which represents the latest genre for journalists to explore. See information below:
The full trilogy of The Story now available–3 books to guide you through a mobile first strategy. Whether you’re a reporter, editor, designer, publisher, corporate communicator, The Story is for you! https://amazon
TheMarioBlog post # 3355