TAKEAWAY: Nothing like a political story that involves a sex scandal. Of course, for Italian newspapers, this is not a rarity, and definitely not for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Again, he is in the headlines. Take a peek. ALSO: A Brazilian newspaper, O Globo, gives us a glimpse of how front pages can be vibrant and informative, even in the day of the 24/7 news cycle.
From the Nieman Journalism Lab: in case you missed it
Getting lapped by innovation abroad? Mario Garcia’s path to better designed newspapers
Here’s the link:
http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/11/getting-lapped-by-innovation-abroad-mario-garcias-path-to-better-designed-newspapers/#more-24616.
Sex, politics and Ruby
Front page of Il Secolo XIX the day the Ruby scandal broke Friday: I notice that when we did the original design concept last February, we saved the black and white reversed heads on page one for stories that had the tabloidy feeling. This was perfect for it
Double page develops the Ruby story inside
Il Secolo XIX’s front page, second day of story with quote headline that reads: “I am proud of my life”.
Double page of Il Secolo shows the many young women in Berlusconi’s life and his quote: “I love life, I love women”
Nicole Minetti: Berlusconi told police to release Ruby in the foster care of Minetti, who is a former showgirl and Berlusconis’s personal dental hygienist
The national daily La Repubblica, with headline: “Ruby, if true, prime minister should resign”
The national daily La Stampa with a headline that reads: If Ruby story is true, prime minister should resign
It is buongiorno from beautiful Genoa, that city by the sea.
I visit Il Secolo XIX, and find myself following the latest political sex scandal making the pages of Italian newspapers.
In a nutshell: There is Silvio Berlusconi, the colorful and life loving prime minister. There is Ruby, who turned 18 Monday, a Moroccan girl who got in trouble, ended up in jail, and when given a chance to make one phone call, reached out to Berlusconi. Berlusconi, in turn, told the police to release Ruby immediately, as she was the niece of Egyptian President Mubarak. The police released Ruby to a woman appointed by Berlusconi for the task—--Nicole Minetti, a former showgirl and Berlusconi’s dental hygienist. That is the story, and there is a lot of explaining to do.
Ruby has said that, indeed, she is friends with Berlusconi, and has attended many of what she called “bunga, bunga” parties.
As the International Herald Tribune reported today: “Ruby’s accounts of parties at Mr. Berlusconi’s private villa outside Milan have turned mainstream newspapers into the trashiest of tabloids.”
The Ruby video: she appears in minute two
This video was located by Il Secolo XIX and posted in today’s www.ilsecoloxix.it. It shows a party in Genoa, with Ruby making an appearance in the second minute
In Brazil: interesting front page treatment
Here is how Brazil’s O Globo covered the election of Dilma Rousseff, the first woman president of the country.
Dilma, who is not said to have very good relations with the press, appeared on page one of O Globo, but her photo was second to a long list of “things we will hold her accountable for”. This is usually the treatment that appears inside the newspaper. O Globo decided to move it up front and high on page one.
On the list: Media and Freedom of Speech, Taxes, How Government Money will be Spent, Education, Social Programs, Transportation Issues, Health and Environment.
I found this to be a refreshing way of prresenting the information. This is how I see the front page of printed newspapers achieving its goals and taking the news that everyone already knows to the next level, emphasizing the future, not the traditional headline.