Ifra XMA Cross Media Awards 2006 - (Page 2) Readers reap the most benefits of cross-media coverage XMA participants pack a big punch By Jochen Dieckow The Football World Cup in Germany was sport’s media event of the year in 2006. The Ifra XMA Cross Media Awards competition demonstrates impressively that a football match lasts much longer than the frequently cited 90 minutes and that it has many aspects to offer, also for those not interested in football. Ifra seized the occasion of the championship to hold this competition, as newspaper publishing houses could participate with their cross media-oriented special projects organised to accompany the Football World Cup. The response was highly positive: 55 newspapers from 29 countries submitted a total of 65 projects. The participating publishing houses came from five continents. The range of participants extended from high-circulation international brand names, such as The New York Times and Nihon Keizai Shimbun, to smaller newspapers with strong regional roots, for example, Grenz Echo from Belgium and Glocke from Germany. Participants in the Ifra XMA Cross Media Awards 2006 competition used their complete arsenal of platforms to deliver content from this year’s World Cup to their customers. A difficult choice Although in the end there were only nine winners – three in each category, defined by circulation, for small, mediumsized and large newspapers – it would be wrong to speak in terms of losers in relation to the other projects. All participating publishing houses reported increased advertising and reach, so that their reporting during the four-week World Cup this summer in Germany was in any case definitely worth the effort. Members of the international jury tasked to evaluate the competition expressed their enthusiasm throughout the judging process as they could see firsthand where cross-media coverage is today and where it is headed. But the large number of high-quality entries meant that it was no easy task for the jury to select the winners in the different categories. “It was a delight and great pleasure to be judging a fantastic and very impressive lineup of submissions,” said Annelies van den Belt, new media director of Telegraph Group Limited in the U.K. who will also be co-chairperson at Ifra’s Beyond the Printed Word conference in Vienna on 9-10 November. “Each one showed again and again how newspapers across the globe are embracing multimedia opportunities. I have been especially impressed with the drive from paper to online and vice versa. Online is no longer a separate, ‘just on the site’ piece of business. It is on its way to be a truly integrated part of newspaper publishing.” Renowned newspaper designer Mario Garcia, who also judged the competition, said the XMA participants’ efforts proved that, more than anything, the media consumers reap the most benefits of such endeavours. “The Ifra XMA Cross Media Awards 2006 incited two reactions: good attempts by most of the entries to convey the excitement of the games, and the very specific information that sports fans crave for. … All in all, multiplatform is the word, and users benefit the most.” In the middle of the action A look at all projects shows that several newspapers have discovered, or rediscovered, the invaluable benefits of gaining proximity with their readers and sustaining a dialogue with their readers – and non-readers. In many cases, the publishing houses themselves were where the football parties were celebrated, or they were the ones who made the fan gatherings possible. Publishers engaged their audience in these public gatherings, acquiring precious usergenerated content and therefore a lively insight into the inner lives of the fans. In most cases, letting them speak through their media of choice and receive their news the same way. I have been especially impressed with the drive from paper to online and vice versa. Online is no longer a separate, ‘just on the site’ piece of business. It is on its way to be a truly integrated part of newspaper publishing. Interactivity in the foreground Indeed, readers and users were fully integrated into the media reporting process. Football blogs and forums captured and described the atmosphere in the respective regions and stadiums. The » Annelies van den Belt XMA juror, and new media director at Telegraph Group Limited (U.K.)
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