Capturing a Fuller Picture of the State of Positive Innovation on the American Continent— Impact Journalism Day 2016
Less than a month from IJD 2016, we’re taking a step back to unveil our american partners. The American landscape is full of variations: from the giants like Brazil, Mexico and the USA to medium-sized and even tiny countries like Honduras. The two continents boast diverse cultures and economies and similarly, our media partners for Impact Journalism Day reflect these fascinating differences.
A couple of “old-timers” have been publishing IJD supplements and digital sections for the past three, and sometimes four, years, like La Nación in Argentina, a paper we already mentioned in a previous post. Excelsior, in Mexico, has been a partner since the beginning and the stories this newspaper has covered or featured have had a real impact. Solid Rain, the revolutionary mexican enterprise that can solidify water to store and reuse during dry seasons reported that IJD 2015 led to new business opportunities internationally. And when the Indian project I Paid A Bribe was featured by Excelsior in IJD 2014, they were contacted by mexican entrepreneurs looking to replicate the project in their home country. The Mexican version will be up and running soon, so corrupt officials better watch out.
Another long term partner in the Americas is El Heraldo in Honduras. While the newspaper may seem small compared to some of the American giants, El Heraldo is consistently one of the most active and engaged publications. Every year, they advertise IJD a couple of days before the event to inform their readers. Glenda Estrada, the editor who coordinates IJD, has repeatedly told us that participating in IJD is a way to show the world another face of Honduras. The country is often portrayed as violent and poor: during IJD they can showcase other stories. What’s more, the supplement is a big hit with advertisers, who pay much more to place their brand near positive content.
The USA is represented by two very different media outlets. The first is USA Today, the widest circulated newspaper in the country. This year the publication will be participating as a digital partner, pulling their weight as one of the world’s biggest news platforms to give IJD visibility. The second media, a new-comer to the alliance, which is based in the USA but of a very different nature is AJ+, one of Al Jazeera’s newest and most innovative media platforms. This year, the influential online media source has produced a video that will complement the other publications’ written approach and bring a viral touch to IJD.
Brazil, the portuguese speaking exception in the sea of Spanish and English languages in the Americas will be represented by Folha de Sao Paolo, regarded as one of the most independent media in the country. The newspaper has been around since 1921 and with one of the biggest readerships in Brazil, it is now considered one of the most influential media sources. Thanks to Folha, IJD will resonate in an additional language and ensure IJD covers one of economic giants South America.
Among some of the newer partners, El Tiempo from Colombia has joined after a one year gap, El Deber have confirmed for a second participation and a new partner in Peru, El Comercio, is uncovering stories we had no access to previously. Combined, these newspapers will reach over three million readers with their supplements, and tens of millions online. El Comercio is particularly proactive online, and has announced its intention to use the new widgets we have developed to measure IJD’s impact and amplify positive innovation.
Stay connected to find out more about the two remaining continents: Africa and Europe. We’ll be unveiling more information as IJD approaches.
Originally published at impactjournalismday.com.
