Thursday, March 28, 2024
Perfil

OPINION AND ANALYSIS | 31-08-2018 15:35

This weekend: a special first anniversary edition of the Buenos Aires Times

One year ago, we launched out first edition and to celebrate, this weekend we'll be printing a special anniversary edition dedicated to one subject: the crisis facing the media industry.

One year ago, we launched the first edition of the Buenos Aires Times and to celebrate, this weekend we’ll be printing a special anniversary edition dedicated to one subject: the crisis facing the media industry.

In a world where circulation numbers and sales are dropping, with social media and ‘fake news’ on the rise and Big Tech companies swallowing up advertising revenues, we’ll look at the challenges facing media outlets both in Argentina and across the world. The industry, no doubt, is in crisis – in Argentina alone, more than 2,400 journalists have lost their job since the beginning of 2016, unions say.

For some this decision may seem a little strange. And yes, admittedly, it’s been a week where the headlines have been made by currency, Cristina and calls from protesters to protect public education.

So let me explain a little.

The existence of our humble newspaper, as I’ve outlined a few times before, is a consequence of the closure of the Buenos Aires Herald, my former employer. Indeed, many of this year’s editions of the Times have carried the simple strapline: ‘Tributo de diario Perfil al Buenos Aires Herald.’

I’m a stickler for tradition and we’ve decided to look to that newspaper again for inspiration with this weekend’s special edition. Each year, on its own anniversary of its first edition, the Herald would dedicate an entire supplement to one theme, inviting columnists, reporters and graphic designers to contribute to a supplement taking a deeper look at an important issue. It was a moment to take stock, to look at an issue in a wider context, to pose questions (and perhaps supply a few answers). 

I like that idea so much, I've decided to steal, sorry, borrow it.

For any organisation – let alone a new, fledgling, young media outlet – reaching the first year is a landmark. But this Saturday, rather than celebrate our own existence in this challenging landscape before us, we want to turn the spotlight around and focus it on the rest of our peers in the media.

There will be a number of pieces for you to enjoy, including contributions from writers such as Robert Cox, Andrew Graham-Yooll, Michael Soltys, James Neilson, Agustino Fontevecchia, Carolina Barros, Ian Gall, Federico Poore and Santiago Del Carril.

You can find your copy where we always are: inside the pages of the Perfil newspaper, each and every Saturday.

All that remains is to say a huge, giant, enormous thank you to our readers for their support, appreciation, kind words and even criticism over the past 12 months.

Oh, and don’t worry. normal service will be resumed next week. I promise. Looks like there will be plenty to catch up on, doesn't it?

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James Grainger

James Grainger

Editor-in-Chief, Buenos Aires Times.

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