Ecuablogs and El Telégrafo

Interactions between the blogosphere and mainstream media typically involve skepticism, lack of credibility finger-pointing, and holier-than-thou condescension. The print media hold no viable future, bloggers contend, while full-time journalists argue that bloggers aren't equipped or sufficiently trained to report the day's news. One new initiative in Ecuador, however, reveals a mutually beneficial collaboration between the country's bloggers and its oldest daily, El Telégrafo. The newspaper is courting the active blogging community to fill a page of its weekly supplement with what they consider their best content. The proposal gives bloggers a chance to reach new readers that, perhaps, don't yet have an internet connection and also gives young, web-savvy readers a reason to buy and promote the paper.

Rafael Méndez Meneses from Naranjal, Ecuador excitedly announces on his blog, “Ecuablogs and El Telégrafo get married! (figuratively speaking).”

Mejor no pregunten cuál es la novia y cuál es el macho. ¡Ecuablogs y El Telégrafo se casan! (en sentido figurado) Los duros de Ecuablogs (y yo) acabamos de llegar de una entrevista con la gente de Diario El Telégrafo. Resulta que han ofrecido a Ecuablogs.com la oportunidad de utilizar una página, mínimo cada semana, para publicar posts y temas relacionados con el asunto blogs.

Como muestra de su buena voluntad, invitaron las pizzas, ofrecieron su terraza para un blogs&beers o happening, propusieron la creación de un Consejo Editorial Virtual (o digital, según mi nada humilde criterio) para que participemos en las reuniones con el Consejo Editorial “de a de veras” en encuentros y otras reuniones; y hasta nos dieron pases de cortesía para entrar con barra libre a un lugar en la zona regenerada (es de los que no fueron clausurados, eso nos lo rejuraron). Sólo les faltó ofrecernos un par de secretarias (buenas) para que nos den uvitas en la boca mientras estamos posteando… y bueno, un jugoso contrato.

Las condiciones son:
que escribamos tal como escribimos en el blog (nada de acartonarse)
libertad total (el Director dijo que si es necesario cuestionar al periódico, lo hagamos con confianza)
llenar la página a como de lugar (si no queda otra, hasta yo puedo aportar con algo)
tener continuidad (si vamos a responsabilizarnos por llenar una página dos veces por semana, tenemos que cumplir)
que ayudemos a promover al Decano de la Prensa Nacional (no me refiero a La Noticia)

Best not to ask which is the fiancèe and which is the groom, but Ecuablogs and El Telégrafo are getting married, so to speak. The most active users of Ecuablogs (and I) just finished an interview with the staff of the newspaper, El Telégrafo. Turns out that they've offered Ecuablogs.com the opportunity to use a a page of the paper, at least once a week, to publish posts and topics related to the subject of blogs.

Showing their goodwill, they treated us to pizzas, offered their terrace for a blogs & beers reunion, proposed a Virtual Editorial Council (or “Digital” according to my not so humble criteria) so that we can truly participate in the Editorial Council in meetings and other reunions, and they even gave us courtesy passes to an open bar. The only thing left is for them to offer us a couple (attractive) secretaries to feed us grapes while we are posting … and, sure, a lucrative contract.

The conditions are:

  • We write just like we write in our blogs. (no stiffening up)
  • Total freedom (the Director said that if we feel it is necessary to criticize the newspaper, that we do it with confidence)
  • To fill the entire page (if there's not enough, I can contribute something)
  • To have continuity (if we are going to take responsibility to fill a page twice a week, we must follow through)
  • That we help to promote the “Doyen of the National Press” [as El Telégrafo describes itself]

Guillermo Sornoza adds to Méndez Meneses’ initial announcement:

Actualmente Diario El Telégrafo recibe escritos de bloggers ecuatorianos, y los publica –por ahora uno a la semana- en la revista dominical “Semana Gráfica”, en una sección que han llamado “Blog de Papel”. Si desean ustedes también pueden participar de dicha iniciativa.

La idea ahora es ampliar aún más la sección bloguera del diario, y llegar a completar enteramente una página de dicha revista semanal. Adicionalmente formar un consejo editorial digital, con blogueros, que pueda acceder a información de primera mano, así como invitaciones a simposios, entrevistas a personajes públicos y debates sobre temas que se consideren necesarios. Como nos decía el Director, Carlos Navarrete: hacer que el diario plasme lo que la gente quiere se discuta.

¿Deseas colaborar? Toda ayuda es bienvenida. Y la vamos a necesitar.

Currently the paper, El Telégrafo receives posts by Ecuadorean bloggers and publishes them – for now, once a week – in a section called “Paper Blog” of the Sunday magazine supplement, “Semana Gráfica.” If you wish, you can also participate in this initiative.

Now the idea is to extend the blogger section of the newspaper even more, to start filling out a complete page of the weekly magazine. Additionally we want to form a digital editorial council, with bloggers, that can decide on information first hand, like invitations to symposiums, interviews with public figures and debates on subjects that are considered necessary. As the director, Carlos Navarrete told us: make the newspaper shape to what people want discussed.

Do you want to take part? All help is welcome. And we are going to need it.

Of course, Ecuablogs.com also posted the announcement, which drew a number of comments from the community, most of them focused on what can be published and what cannot.

|_Bonny_| dice:
Interesante. Pero supongo que deben haber algunas restricciones. Por ejemplo: no creo que a los lectores del telegrafo les guste mis articulos de vampiros. O que una historia tenga contenido sexual, politico o religioso… No se, deben haber algunas restricciones con respecto al articulo..

Bonny says
Interesting. But I suppose that there must be some restrictions. For example, I don't think that the readers of El Telegrafo will like my posts on Vampires. Or a story that has sexual, political, or religious content … I don't know, they must have some restrictions with respect to the article …

Juan Xavier Larrea dice:
Lo que dice Bonny es cierto. Existen restricciones sobre lo que va a publicar El Telegrafo. Creo que deberían ser claros sobre que tópicos serán considerados a publicarse para que alguien con la mejor de las intenciones no pierda su tiempo en un artículo que jamas llegará a imprimirse.

Juan Xavier Larrea says:
What Bonny says is true. There are restrictions on what El Telegrafo is going to publish. I think that they should be clear about what topics they'll consider publishing so that someone with the best intentions doesn't waste his or her time on a post that will never be printed.

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