The Judges' --30 --
It is unusual for this competition to result in just one winner.
And of
course no single publication can embody every quality
that all others
should emulate.
In taking a broad look at this year’s entries, we are compelled to
acknowledge the huge volume of great work that’s out there. Newspapers
around the globe offer so much inspiration.
In fact, looking through the range of entries, it was striking how
much of the world was actually represented in a competition for the
world’s best. Of course huge parts of the globe – India and Africa chief
among them – were missing. But before us were a United Nations of
languages, formats, styles and voices. Entries came from not just North
America and Europe but from China, the Middle East, Latin America and
Russia. How thrilling to swim in such diverse visual traditions and
standards. The variety came through even when all were covering a
similar story, such as Haiti’s earthquake disaster.
Whether they were colorful, sports-crazy tabloids or broadsheets with
long political commentaries, the best papers served their societies by
reflecting their character through their visual voice. And they did it
with consistency and conviction from cover to cover.
It’s clear that everywhere journalists are putting great thought and
effort into making the most of what print has to offer: a beautiful,
immersive experience that leaves the reader feeling smarter.
More and more publications are putting color on every page, and even
investing in higher-quality paper and production quality. Newspapers
came in a wide range of shapes and sizes, from compact tabloids to
extra-wide broadsheets to hybrid multi-section publications that deftly
mixed formats, including glossy newspaper magazines. We witnessed
examples of great care with modular advertising that maintained the
visual elegance of both the advertiser and the publication.
Entrants artfully balanced predictability and surprise, solemnity and fun.
It was especially encouraging to see an ongoing commitment to
illustration and infographics. Informational graphics continue to evolve
into more sophisticated formats as we face an ever-growing glut of
data. Double-trucks dazzled with elaborate charts and drawings. Tiny,
efficient charts brought an element of surprise and sophistication to
corners. Online data visualizations seem to have influenced the
presentation of data in print, and while we did see some excesses, much
original thinking and experimentation brought data and other information
to life.
Several papers presented hybrids of text, photos and graphics –
visual storyboards, really – that sought to explain complex information
and processes in accessible and clever ways. Artists are breaking down
the walls of each of the individual genres they draw on. Across the
board, newspapers’ ability to organize information for overwhelmed
readers has never been better.
Use of typography was remarkably sophisticated across the board. The
collective standard has risen over the years to the point that
fundamental problems are few and far between. We see Chinese newspapers
refining their typographical approach. What will the rest of the world
learn from their efforts?
Amid all our positive observations, we became concerned about the
state of photojournalism in the pages we saw. We missed emotional
photographs. Glossy magazines and newsprint pages with vast, luxurious
expanses of space were largely devoid of powerful photojournalism.
The lack of strong, documentary images puzzled us. We wondered if
this has something to do with reduced investment. The industry has lost
so many positions for picture editors and others, and yet great
photographs can’t be made without time, care and commitment. Perhaps in
places where the work is being done, print space to showcase it is no
longer available.
Having had the luxury of seeing hundreds of papers in the last few
days, we’d like to raise a red flag on this issue. It’s one of print’s
great powers to enable users to savor moments captured in the best
photos. How can we recapture and deliver this value to readers?
As publishers’ portfolios broaden to include a variety of digital
offerings, the most successful will continue to experiment and invest in
the qualities that make print publications special: their ability to
capture a moment in time and invite us to ponder it on our own terms;
the way they engage our senses and dazzle us with beauty, emotion and
intelligence; their portability, utility and capacity to both relax and
stimulate their readers. Sometimes, the publications that did this the
best were the smallest. There’s much for all to learn from the nimble,
experimental newspapers that are gaining fame for their innovation.
What we recognized in this year’s winner was its fresh, unique
approach to this challenge. “i” can inspire visual journalists and
publishers anywhere in the world to rethink their models and revise or
create new ones that best serve their audiences. They may look nothing
like “i.” It won’t – and shouldn’t – represent everyone’s approach.
We hope the message from this year’s World’s Best competition is one
of encouragement and inspiration. We laud the creativity and tenacity
that are required for a newspaper to find its own voice and express it
with conviction and excellence, no matter the size of the staff or
access to other resources. These times dare us all to animate our
colleagues’ talents, and to bring focused expression to our communities’
voice.
The judges:
Haika Hinze, Die Zeit
Heidi de Laubenfels, The Seattle Times
Svetlana Maximchenko, Akzia (Moscow)
Carl Neustaedter, Ottawa Citizen
Sara Quinn, Poynter Institute
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