Tooting horns for Thursday’s World Cup pages
Isn’t this a great photo?
Click for a larger view:
That’s Team Italy, practicing their levitation in preparation for the World Cup of soccer that begins Friday. The first match begins at 10 a.m. EDT in the U.S., however, Italy won’t play for the first time until Monday.
The picture is by Alessandra Tarantino of the Associated Press. It was used today atop A1 by the Boston Globe:
The second photo — the larger of the two — is by Mustafa Ozer of AFP/Getty.
The Globe ran a number of stories putting the Cup into perspective for U.S. fans who may not quite understand why players on the field don’t just pick up the damn ball and run with it. Or throw it.
- Staff writer Joseph Kahn explains why even the hardest-hearted Sox or Celtics fan should make room in his heart for soccer this month.
- Columnist Alex Beam gives readers four things to watch for as the Cup begins.
- Correspondent Ami Albernaz explains the stories behind the various team jerseys unveiled for the Cup.
- Blogger David Beard tells whom to watch in the opening U.S. match against England Saturday afternoon.
Find the Globe’s Cup coverage page here.
Average daily circulation for the Boston Globe is 264,105.
Clear across the continent — in Palm Springs, Calif. — the Desert Sun found a local man who is attending the Cup:
That is Steve Jacobson of Bermuda Dunes, a native of South Africa and a son of a celebrated national soccer player from a half-century ago. The photo is by staffer Omar Ornelas. Find the story here by Drew Schmenner.
The Desert Sun circulates 46,856 copies daily.
In Miami, the Spanish edition of the Herald — el Nuevo Herald, circulation 87,000 — led today with an enormous montage of fan shots:
Unfortunately, I think the result was less than successful. In news presentation, more often isn’t better and that was the case here. Did we really need to see every one of those pictures? Might the story — and the reader — have been better served by using one or two pictures well, instead of eleven?
Click for a larger view, if you wish:
Sorry, but that’s simply too hard on the eyes.
In South Africa itself, the Business Day — a daily paper focusing on, yep, you guessed it, business — went with the standard ‘economic impact’ angles today. The centerpiece story is about how the South African rand is doing pretty well in world markets.
The story at the top, however, is a bit of a stretch. It’s simply a thumbnail bio of every country participating in this year’s Cup. No data in particular is highlighted; no real conclusions are drawn. As far as I can tell, this was an excuse to get all the national flags above the fold today.
Perhaps this treatment sold Business Day a few extra copies today. Perhaps not. Either way, it’s not effective journalism unless you’re telling a story. And you’re not telling a story here with your visuals.
The best advice I can give you: Do what your competitors, Sake24, did and hire a really good visual journalism consultant to work with your editors and designers.
This was Tuesday’s Times of South Africa. The story is about small towns that won’t be able to watch the opening Cup match Friday because they get no TV or electrical power:
The photo, on the other hand, is of Colombian singer Shakira — “She Wolf” was a big hit when I was in South Africa last year — arriving at the airport in Johannesburg Monday. She performed tonight at the big opening bash in Soweto, southwest of Joburg.
Wednesday’s Times depicted two members of the country’s national rugby team showing their support for the South African soccer squad by wearing Bafana Bafana jerseys and blowing a vuvuzela:
Unfortunately, Thursday’s front was a no-show at the Newseum.
I mentioned the vuvuzela a couple of days ago (pronounced voo-voo-ZAY-luh, says the New York Times). These are plastic horns South African soccer fans blow constantly during their matches. They make a sound that’s been compared to a herd of elephants and a bagpipe band.
Well, imagine no longer what this must sound like. At noon on Wednesday, the entire country was asked to toot their horns in support of the South African national team.
And they did. My good friend Arlene Prinsloo — design director for die Burger in Cape Town — leaned out of her downtown window to give us a listen:
Arlene writes:
Cape Town wasn’t a patch on Johannesburg — but it was still great.
Great it was. And great the Cup is going to be for South Africa and soccer fans everywhere.
My daughter, Elizabeth, is wearing her Bafana Bafana jersey to school Friday. I have my South African flag fluttering on my desk.
We’re ready. Bring it on.