Subscriber Josep Roca sent me a complaint about two issues related to graphic design. First, he points out: "Something I appreciate about the most widely referenced newspapers in English-speaking or French-speaking countries is the practice of accompanying news stories with good maps, especially when the events take place in locations unfamiliar to the average reader. And this is a major deficiency, in my opinion, of AHORA: a lack of maps." He concludes by providing an example: "On page 20 of the Sunday, October 26th edition, the text mentions several Ukrainian place names, such as Pokrovsk, Koupansk, the Oskil River, Vovchansk, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk. Inexplicably, none of them appear on the accompanying map. The borders of Donetsk and Luhansk are also missing from the map, despite their inclusion in all of Trump's 'peace' talks."
Next, he poses the second issue: "And please, don't use the excuse of lack of space for not including a more detailed map. On the one hand, the article is accompanied by a photo larger than the map. It wastes a lot of space, as the photo takes up more space than the text. This is the case, for example, on pages 6, 7, 30, 31, 33, 36, 52, and 53. It also dedicates, like the ARA, so much space to photos, and the photos occupy as much or more space than the text. And this is another problem I've identified in the ARA."
Jordi Olivé, head of Design at ARA, explains in general terms that photos and graphic elements have been very important to the newspaper's concept since its inception, although the texts, being initially written for the website, have become longer, in contrast to what the reader points out. On weekends, however, "we try to produce a more graphic and polished edition that includes more separate pieces, opinion pieces, graphics, photomontages, and illustrations," and "in the case of pages 30-31 of the newspaper you're referring to, we understand you're talking about Mirades. This section is a classic of the newspaper and is a space where it stands out."
The place names on the maps are the responsibility of the editorial team, in this case, the head of the International section, Francesc Millan, who tells me how important they are in his area of expertise—if you'll pardon the expression—and that, consequently, "we are among the media outlets in Spain that most strongly advocate for the use of maps and explanatory graphics." Regarding the specific criticism, Millan thanks him, takes note, and concludes: "Regarding the news item from October 26, I agree with the reader. In this case, the map was especially necessary. We will work to ensure that maps—with the appropriate labels—are always included in this type of news article that discusses specific locations/regions and the content of the piece."
I have asked for the opinion ofauctoritas From the director of the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia, Antonio Magariños y Varo, whose high praise I appreciate from such a leading institution. He offers the following observations:
"Maps in the press are not mere visual complements: they are tools for understanding. In international news, especially when dealing with territories unfamiliar to the average reader, maps allow us to situate events, follow the narrative thread, and grasp the geopolitical implications. The reader's criticism of the ARA newspaper is valid: if a story is about Usk or the Oskil River, it's expected that the map will include them. A map that doesn't reflect the places mentioned in the text loses part of its informative function and reduces the reader's ability to fully understand the news."
International newspapers such as The New York Times, Le Monde either Le Monde Diplomatique They have developed their own tradition in cartographic and infographic representation, based on graphic consistency and the rigorous use of verified geographical sources. In these newspapers, maps are an integral part of the journalistic discourse, treated with the same care as the text or photographs, and contribute decisively to building trust in the information.
Catalan and Spanish media outlets have a great opportunity here: to capitalize on the need for spatial contextualization of news stories to create their own style, a recognizable visual language, and an editorial personality. It's also important to remember that the quality of a map or infographic depends as much on its design as on the reliability of the data that feeds it. In this respect, media outlets should be as demanding of their cartographic and geographical sources as they are of their journalistic ones. Too often, some still use generic, poorly documented, or unverified maps and data that fail to do justice to the importance of the information they want to convey.
Sports journalism and grammar
Calling someone "the best" is high-risk; the margin of error is as wide as in any definitive assessment. In the world of sports, which revolves more around competition than "mens sana in corpore sano"From a forgotten Latin poet, highlighting the best has become a leitmotif and more and more are being awarded –let's say- improvements, for example the MVPs (valuable player) that come from baseball in the early 20th century and have now spread to every football match.
Iván Terol argues that the ARA (September 7) rated Valentina Krauel as "the best skater Catalan," to the detriment of Daniela Terol, whose "public and professional image, as well as her relationships with sponsors and sports projects," would be harmed. The controversial expression is repeated three times, twice as prominently as a green light (in this case with the nuance "is considered") and in a caption. Daniela's coach and manager—in addition to the family connection—but I recall a detailed list of achievements to elegantly refute the assessment: "It is not my intention to make comparisons between athletes, because they all deserve recognition for their effort." The Sports section has rectified this mischievous practice.
With the conclusive intent of the fable, as classic as Juvenal, the poet alluded to elliptically, the corollary is that it is good for journalism to distance itself from myth-making, and even more so in a sports context always with the sword of Damocles hanging over it. hooliganism Moreover, in principle, from an informational standpoint, we shouldn't proclaim who is the best. But if, where content colonizes form and journalism enters into a competition that it should only explain, we will have to regulate the semantic absolutism of the adjective with prudence and moderation. better preceded by the determinants sheThe partitive genitive, also of classical tradition, will always be a statistically more probable formula. In this case, it would be accurate to say that both Krauel and Teruel, at the highest level, are each the best.
At the heart of it all is a basic principle of journalism: to inform – he has such and such an award, he is now number 1 in such and such a ranking of excellence, Ballon d'Or, ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)...— and to verify is more accurate than the subjective factor of the adjective, sufficiently criticized by Roland Barthes, one of the semiologists who chose words.
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