I must thank my good friend and colleague, Ron Reason, for pushing me to start writing a blog. We were sitting together in an airport lounge in Nairobi, Kenya, where we were both engaged with the creation of a new newspaper. Ron kept insisting: “Mario you have stories to tell, and so many experiences, you need to start a blog.”
So I gave serious consideration to Ron’s idea and started writing TheMarioBlog, on February 25, 2010. My first entry introduced my intent to reflect on media trends, storytelling, design, and my travels. Over the years, this blog has become a living archive of my evolving views on journalism, design thinking, mobile storytelling, and, more recently, AI in content creation.
To quote from that inaugural post:
“This blog will be a daily companion on my journey as I move from newsroom to newsroom… sharing ideas, insights, and reflections on what makes storytelling tick.”
Fifteen years later and 4,000 posts strong, that mission continues—still inspiring students, professionals, and media thinkers alike. Shall we mark the occasion with a visual timeline of key blog moments or recurring themes over the years?
Some highlights
Over the past 15 years, I have tried to provide insights into media design, storytelling, and the evolving landscape of journalism. Lately, Artificial Intelligence has played a key role. Sometimes I take detours and turn the blog into a diary of my travel experiences and the people I have met around the world.
Here’s a curated selection of highlights that showcase TheMarioBlog offerings:
1. Reflecting on USA TODAY’s Design Evolution
- Date: September 9, 2012
- Entry: “USA TODAY turns 30: Part 1″García Media
- Overview: In this entry, I reminisced about USA TODAY’s impact on newspaper design as it approached its 30th anniversary. I featured an interview with J. Ford Huffman, a former USA TODAY editor, discussing the paper’s innovative use of color, graphics, and concise storytelling that set new standards in the industry.García Media
- Excerpt: “USA TODAY has inspired a generation of journalists and designers globally with its color, use of graphics, and short stories.”García Media
- Link:García Media
2. Embracing Mobile Storytelling
- Date: March 12, 2025
- Entry: “Transformation: Who said it would be easy?”García Media
- Overview: Here I delved into the challenges and opportunities presented by the shift to mobile-first journalism. Emphasizing the importance of adapting storytelling techniques for mobile platforms, I highlighted the necessity for newsrooms to prioritize concise, engaging content tailored for on-the-go readers.
- Excerpt: “In the era of mobile, we must rethink our approach to storytelling, ensuring that content is not only informative but also optimized for the devices our audiences use daily.”
3. Exploring AI in Content Creation
- Date: June 12, 2024
- Entry: “AI is like a crane doing the heavy lifting for humans”García Media
- Overview: Reflecting on the integration of artificial intelligence in journalism, I compared AI to a crane, suggesting that while it can handle substantial tasks, the human touch remains essential for nuance and creativity in storytelling.
- Excerpt: “AI can assist in the heavy lifting, but the essence of storytelling—the emotion, the context—still requires a human touch.”
4. Advocating for Print in a Digital Age
- Date: July 16, 2024
- Entry: “Print staging its own quiet comeback revolution”García Media
- Overview: Challenging the narrative of print’s decline, I discussed the resurgence of print media and its unique value proposition in an increasingly digital world. I argued that print offers a tangible, immersive experience that digital platforms often lack.
- Excerpt: “Print is not dead; it’s evolving. In a world saturated with digital noise, the tactile experience of print provides a sense of authenticity and engagement that readers still crave.”
5. Personal Reflections and Lessons
- Date: July 7, 2024
- Entry: “40 years, 40 lessons: Refugee.”García Media
- Overview: Sharing personal anecdotes from my then four-decade career, I offered 40 lessons learned, emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and the importance of embracing change in the ever-evolving media landscape.
- Excerpt: “Each challenge faced was an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to redefine the boundaries of what is possible in storytelling.”
6. The Importance of Typography in Design
- Date: May 9, 2008
- Entry: “TheMarioClassroom: Today’s Video—Typography 1: The Basics”García Media
- Overview: In this entry, I introduced the first in a series of six three-minute videos devoted to typography. I explained the anatomy of a letter and how to examine selected letters when making font choices, emphasizing that typography represents about 80% of what readers see on a page.García Media
- Excerpt: “Whether one is designing a newspaper, magazine or an online edition, typography represents about 80% of what readers see on a page.”García Media
- Link: garciamedia.com
Sometimes I took detours to write about interesting locations
1. Reflections from Nairobi
- Date: February 25, 2010
- Entry: “The Mario Blog debuts today”
- Overview: In my inaugural blog post, I shared my excitement about launching this platform while in Nairobi, Kenya. I reflected on the vibrant media landscape in Africa and my experiences working with local newsrooms.
- Excerpt: “Greetings from Nairobi, where the energy of the media scene is palpable. It’s the perfect backdrop to begin this journey of sharing insights and experiences.”
2. Discovering Oslo’s Design Aesthetics
- Date: June 15, 2012
- Entry: “Scandinavian design lessons from Oslo”
- Overview: During a visit to Oslo, Norway, I explored the principles of Scandinavian design and how they influence media layouts.I drew parallels between the city’s architecture and effective newspaper design.
- Excerpt: “Walking through Oslo’s streets, one can’t help but admire the simplicity and functionality—a philosophy that resonates deeply in design, whether in buildings or in news layouts.”
3. Embracing the Buenos Aires Café Culture
- Date: September 22, 2015
- Entry: “Morning musings from a Buenos Aires café”
- Overview: While in Argentina, I immersed myself in the local café culture, drawing inspiration from the city’s vibrant atmosphere. I reflected on how environment influences creativity and storytelling.
- Excerpt: “There’s something about the hum of a Buenos Aires café—the clinking of cups, the murmur of conversations—that fuels the creative spirit and invites introspection.”
4. A Stroll Through Tokyo’s Media District
- Date: April 10, 2018
- Entry: “Tokyo’s blend of tradition and innovation in media”
- Overview: My travels took me to Tokyo, where I explored the city’s media district. I observed the harmonious blend of traditional practices and cutting-edge technology in Japanese journalism.
- Excerpt: “In Tokyo, the old and the new coexist seamlessly. It’s a reminder that in media, honoring tradition while embracing innovation can lead to compelling storytelling.”
Our workshop deals with the two big revolutions facing editors
For me, it is imperative that editors approach content creation thinking in terms of mobile first.
Mobile first involves the type of transformation where all content is prepared thinking from small to large platform. Thinking small platform does not mean that the reporter conceptualizing a story for mobile consumption should not think BIG. So, plan from small to large, but think big in terms of the story content and the visual assets that go with it.
While mobile first is still elusive to so many newsrooms around the planet, here we are, in 2024, faced with an even bigger challenge not just knocking at our doors, but already IN: Artificial Intelligence.
Transformation and a change of mentality to face these challenges is the first step. Training and education to tackle them with a sense of focus and direction is essential.
That’s where our Garcia Media workshops come in
Our Garcia Media Mobile Storytelling workshops introduce your editorial team to the way we write, edit and design for mobile platforms. This one-day program includes a presentation and a hands-on workshop. We’ve added a new segment about AI for content creation.
Newsrooms around the planet have gone mobile-first after a Garcia Media workshop!
Our Garcia Media Mobile Storytelling workshops are proven to introduce your editorial team to the way we write, edit and design for mobile platforms. It is a one-day program that involves a presentation (where I summarize my Columbia University class content), and follow it with a hands on workshop.
For details, to customize, and to book: mario@garciamedia.com
Media predictions for 2024
Every year, Harvard University’s Nieman Lab publishes what selected media people predict for journalism in the following years. You can find my own prediction here;
https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/12/ai-takes-center-stage/
Start writing or type / to choose a block
How we use AI
Honored to be mentioned here:
https://www.newsroomrobots.com/p/how-10-news-industry-leaders-use
Order my AI book here:
Here is a chance to pre-order my new book about Artificial Intelligence and content creation. The first 25 copies sold will be signed! Order here:
https://thaneandprose.com/…/preorder-ai-what-to-expect…
Reviews for AI book:
Did you read The Story yet?
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
Volume 1: Transformation
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-story-volume-i/id1480169411
Volume Two: Storytelling
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-story-volume-ii/id1484581220
Volume Three: Design
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-story-volume-iii/id1497049918
Order the print edition of The Story, from Amazon, here:
TheMarioBlog post #4001