THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO IT !.......BUSINESSWEEK REINVENTED

Every time some corporate soothsayer spells doom for magazines, there will be few crusaders who will decide to hold the bull by the horns and do something remarkable to turn the tables. President Paul Bascobert and Editor Josh Tyrangiel of Bloomberg Businessweek are two such gentlemen, who are out on a mission to redefine the rules of business journalism. Seeing is believing they say, pick up the latest copy of Bloomberg Businessweek and you'll understand what I mean. There's something special going on in there......... inside the editorial camp.

According to Josh, a man who understands web like back of his hand ( earlier stint was with TIME.COM), "web is only good for grazing and where magazines have got it wrong in the recent past is in their approach of doing tiny short webby stories and headlines. They have completely forgotten the fact that when a reader decides to open the magazine, he actually wants to shut out the rest of the world ".

The truth is, every time a reader picks up a business magazine he is looking for more than a grazing exprience, he is looking for some guidance, some handholding. Come Monday, start of a gruelling week, he is looking for news and analysis that he can use. And once inside the conference room, he wants to base his views on credible, hardcore facts and industry opinions. In a nutshell he wants to stay ahead and make informed decisions.

Rich content seems so hard to come by these days. Look at the state of business magazines in India, since both readership and circulation figures have taken a nose dive, correspondingly the pictures have got bigger, the font size of the text matter magnified many fold and the stories have become shorter and shorter inside the magazine. Now that's an extremely dangerous thing the editors and publishers are busy doing these days.

Let's hope Bloomberg Businessweek brings in a whiff of fresh air, which is so badly needed.Looking at the first Issue, Josh and team seem to have made a great start.

VIVA MAGAZINES !!

COVERED WELL !!

Reader behaviour has under gone a massive change in the last decade or so . The prime reason for this shift is technology and of late economic challenges all over the world. Publishers of Magazines are really up against it in most of the markets. They are finding it tough to arrest the dwindling readership figures year on year. Well, this doesn't mean that it's Armageddon for the printed word just yet.

Even in this chaos there's a sliver lining , some fabulous magazines are quietly championing the cause of print and are engaging the readers like never before. They are thrusting forward full steam and are busy defying the odds.......and winning. They continue to enjoy the patronage of readers around the world. The Economist to my mind is one such revered title which has braved the downturn. People who are familiar with the title are aware of it's credibility and the top notch editorial standards. This great magazine claims "it's not a chronicle of economics, rather it strives to take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress" .

The spark for this post came from one of the latest covers of The Economist. I just couldn't resist myself from talking about it. Every Issue of The Economist has a very interesting cover..... the copy, the picture, everything is so different about the magazine. Well, I think what distinguishes The Economist and the rest of the pack, is the belief that everything that you do within and outside of the magazine is important. Though the most pivotal thing is what lies between the covers, the rich credible content .....BUT EQUALLY PARAMOUNT IS THE WAY YOU PRESENT IT, PACKAGE IT.........YOU GOT TO COVER IT WELL! Whatever you do, do it with a panache !!

FROM THE CORPORATE DIARY......BITTER N SWEET TALE OF MONEY

Salary negotiation I am told is an art rather than a science. The rigmarole of a tough negotiation can be quite rattling at times. Some people are too good at it and they are able to do it with great elan. And then on the other side, there are few who simply hate it. Not that they aren't capable, it just that beyond a point they find the process to bitter to swallow.

One thing that has always posed a question mark in my mind, and something that I haven't been able to fathom till date, is the exact role of Human Resource guys in the negotiation chain. Are they the right people to measure the worth of hard core experience? Should they have the final say? Are they professional and experienced enough to separate the wheat from the chaff? I really wonder, seriously I do.

I am sure there is a way out. I also firmly believe that many a times, deserving candidates run out of patience and give up the chase.And it's rather unfortunate that in the end the HR view of " My way, or the highway" prevails and the organisation loses out on an opportunity to draft somebody who could have been an excellent choice. THINK ABOUT IT ? I am sure quite a few of my experienced friends out there, at some point might have been at the receiving end of this so called, high handed approach( "I know what you are worth " P.O.V).

IT AIN'T JUST ANOTHER BOOK........IT'S A SLANT BOOK

It feels great when you see things being done differently. Doesn't it ? At least I do. I love when people talk about new ideas, wanting to break stereotype and embark on a completely new thinking. I have always believed there's no dearth of people with money, but what is really in short supply are people with ideas, new ideas, innovative ideas.

During a quick stroll after lunch in the afternoon today, I happen to hop into a book store and laid my hands on a rather odd shaped book called THE SLANT BOOK by Peter Newell. It's a picture book published in 1910, filled with rhyming poetry telling story of all the mishaps that can occur when things are on a slant.

I am sure one might wonder, what's so special about a children's book, published 100 years back? A book very few have heard and seen, one which never made it to the top 100 bestsellers list of all times.So what am I really talking here?

Well, for the curious minds, all I can say is, it's neither the title of the book nor the author that has given the spark for this post. In fact it's the beautiful amalgamation, of the core idea SLANT and the choice of the SLANT sized book to narrate the story to young impressionable minds.

Today, due to advent of Internet, the printed word is facing a real challenge. And if the authors, the editors, the publishers of books, periodicals and magazines around the world continue to turn a blind eye and fail to innovate, the future could be full of mishaps. It's time they wake-up and realise that things are on a slant. And they need to innovate like Peter Newell and his publisher did with THE SLANT BOOK.

YES, IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER BOOK..........IT'S A SLANT BOOK.

UTTERLY BUTTERLY DELICIOUS !!

Sorry no marks for guessing. We all know it's Amul.... An Iconic Brand, a true lovemark( please visit the link at the bottom of the Postcard, to know about the concept of Lovemarks & the guru Kevin Roberts). Coined from Sanskrit word "Amoolya" meaning priceless, Amul is a brand loved by young and grown-ups alike in India. It's a brand that's been used in millions of homes since 1946.

The spark for this post came from the new outdoor advertising message that I saw while driving to the office this morning. And this time the theme for the latest brand communication was based on last week's Volcanic eruption in Iceland. Brilliant I say. Though I don't exactly remember, but it went something like this " FLIGHTS DIS- ERUPTION", NOT TO WORRY........AMUL! YOU'LL SIMPLY LAVA IT ". Coming to the visual, no Amul poster is complete without the famous round eyed, chubby cheeked utterly butterly girl ( Amul Moppet), who was right up there towering over the advertisement copy .

A journey of excellent storytelling about anything that's newsy, from anywhere in the world, that started way back in 1967, is still going strong.................AND I AM SIMPLY LOVING IT.......... ALWAYS HAVE.

http://www.saatchikevin.com/

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST..........PICTURE OF THE MONTH

This breathtaking picture taken by Lucas Jackson of Reuters on April 17, 2010 in Eyjafjallajokull is probably one of the greatest of all times, according to me.

WOW!!!!

EARTH SONG.........HELP HER, SOMEBODY

Can you hear her cry?

Do you feel the pain deep inside?

Can you see the bleeding of her soul?

engulfed in a raging fire, she's been screaming

begging for our mercy, she's been calling.

Alas! No one's coming, she keeps burning
years have come and years have gone
still no one's listening, man keeps plundering
in the name of human progress,
he keeps cutting and spilling.


Can you hear her cry?
Do you feel the pain deep inside?
Can you see the bleeding of her soul?
engulfed in a raging fire, she's been screaming
begging for our mercy, she's been calling..........and calling.
http://www.globalissues.org/issue/168/environmental-issues

FROM THE CORPORATE DIARY.......POSTCARD BY A TOUGHIE, A SURVIVOR

Just in from the Corporate Zoo. Contributed by a martyr who chose to stand alone ....who decided to walk out rather than standing in the long queue of servile flatterers.

BACK IN THE SKY.......BACK IN BUSINESS ...EUROPE RISING FROM THE ASHES

Finally after a weeks misery, Europe's sky is all set to wear blue again.Menacing ash filled clouds are slowly but surely clearing up and everybody seem to be smiling again. It makes a lovely sound when the cash register starts to ring......And Europe can't wait :-)

HAPPY PROFITING EUROPE !!

FROM THE STAR CATCHER'S DIARY.......PICTURE OF THE DAY

Priceless moments, beautiful dreams so many..............

I BRING THEM TO YOU, ONLY TO YOU
THAT'S ALL I HAVE GOT, THAT'S ALL I AM GONNA GIVE
ONLY TO YOU..... ONLY TO YOU.

HE'S BACK!.............COUNT OF MONTE CARLO !!

Nice to see Rafa getting back to his winning ways. 6th Straight Monte Carlo Masters title at Monaco couldn't have come at a better time. Though the title draught lasted a wee bit longer than expected, I am sure he must be absolutely elated now to see it happen at Monte Carlo, a place he has made his own backyard over the years. His last one came at Rome Masters in May 2009.

I can only feel sorry for Fernando Verdasco. With the kind of attacking form displayed by Rafa, there's little he could have done to stop him today. For those who have a fetish for statistics, Rafa is the only player to have won 6 consecutive titles in the same tournament since Tennis turned professional in the year 1968.

Welcome back Rafa !!

DARK DAYS !!................POSTCARD FROM ICELAND

It seems this time Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland has presented a greater challenge than pronouncing it's name. Sky seems to be deserted without those massive big birds carrying the passengers across Europe. Volcanic Ash kept many flights grounded. We can never be sure of what goes beneath the calm surface of mother nature. Isn't it ??

NEW PHIL-O-SOPHY AT AUGUSTA ............ POSTCARD FROM MASTERS 2010

They call him " Lefty" for his left - handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed. Just concluded US Masters saw one of the finest golfers of modern era Phil Mickelson using his left- handed swing to telling effect. Displaying a cool composure, the great champion played vintage golf right thru' the tournament to mesmerize golf lovers all over the world.

The effortlessness with which he drove the ball , the unbelievable putting, everything this man did, was a sight to behold. THIS MAN PHIL REALLY HAD AUGUSTA ON FIRE WITH HIS GOLFING PHIL-O-SOPHY........."Keep your cool, Drive it hard, and in the end use soft hands to go for the kill".

I feel sorry for other giants in the fray. Honestly with a form like that, there's not much players like Lee Westwood could have done, to stop Phil. Though he came close, but fell short in the end. And as far as TIGER is concerned, it seems he is still not out of the WOODS..... just yet. Morning Paper says, another skeleton fell out of the cupboard. And this time it's a neighbour's young daughter.

Back on golf, I simply loved it!............Every bit !!

HELLRAISER - PART II...........POSTCARD FROM POLAND

Continuing on the subject of Newspapers not essaying the role they ought to , it seems the problem isn't just restricted to one part of the Globe. Editors are busy making a mess everywhere. Polish President Lech Kaczynski was killed along with 88 members of Polish state delegation in a plane crash near city of Smolensk in Russia last weekend. A massive tragedy that has shook not just Poland but entire Europe.

More than 24 hours since the tragedy struck , and all the papers look alike, with pictures of the dead..............WHERE IS THE EXPLANATORY JOURNALISM ?

http://www.innovationsinnewspapers.com/index.php/2010/04/11/polish-newspapers24-hour-later/

COLORS OF LIFE..........PICTURE OF THE DAY!

" Often while reading a book one feels that the author would have preferred to paint rather than write; one can see the pleasure he derives from describing a landscape or a person, as if he were painting what he is saying, because deep in his heart he would have preferred to use brushes and colors." - Pablo Picasso

Can these beautiful Mandarin Ducks be described in words alone? I don't think so. By the way Mandarin Ducks are also regarded as the most illustrious Feng Shui Love Symbol.

HELLRAISER!..............THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE

I been noticing editorial trends very closely for a long time now. Couple of Years back Editor of Outlook Magazine Mr. Vinod Mehta said something about the cardinal principle, the foundation on which the editorial wall should stand. According to him, the editorial content of a credible title( Magazine and Broadsheets) needs to be a balanced mix of what the readers want to know and what the editor wants them to know. Alas! not many , follow this golden rule today. The thin line between editorial integrity and business interest is crossed too often these days.

Yesterday the front page caption of Times of India Paper read - " IT'S WAR: Naxals Butcher 74 in worst blow to security forces" . Just out of bed, waking up to a brand new day, the worst thing that can happen to you, is the sight of a blood stained paper at your doorsteps. I know today newspapers are all about building numbers, but by giving it such a bloody caption we are abetting the crime. We are helping the perpetrators of such heinous acts in succeeding in their mission to terrorize people. This caption could have been written in a more humane way........A Black Tuesday: 74 soldiers walk the path of death.

Wake-up my editorial friends, go back to the bible of Journalism, read the mission again. And stop taking sides with the Naxals, the bandits, the rapists, the murderers. Be on this side and not on the bloody side.

TIME FOR RESURRECTION-----------RISE ABOVE ME N MYSELF

Today is Easter, a day when lord Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. A day when the good returns as an immortal spirit to restore calm and sanity.

The "I" within most of us has attained a gigantic proportion. It's time to look down, sideways and be a God to someone less fortunate, someone who has been waiting for the season to change, for smile to return. Easter could be the day, to start anew, to give it back to someone who needs it more than us, to share a tiny bit from the plenty that we have been fortunate enough to amass.

Praise the Lord..................Discover the Lord within.........Play Lord to somebody !

Wishing all my fellow earthlings a very happy easter !!

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE...........WEAR SUNSCREEN

We all want to inspire and get inspired, isn't it ?If not always, at least sometimes, we want to, we would love to. Here's something that was sent to me by a fellow music buff long time ago. I am sure, quite a few of my fellow earthlings might have heard this before. But hey! if you ask me, it doesn't really matter if you have heard it already. I bet this inspirational speech by Baz Luhrmann sounds different each time you hear it on the radio, on your TV screen, on your monitor.

EVERYBODY'S FREE ( TO WEAR SUNSCREEN)..........TRY IT SOMETIMES!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQlJ3vOp6nI&feature=related

HE DID IT FOR YOU..............REMEMBERING THE LORD!

“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.” – FIRST PETER 3:18

ON A FOOL'S ERRAND --------------YET NOBODY'S FOOL

Today's 1st of April.......And the world calls it All fools' day. For many out there, playing practical jokes and commissioning hoaxes of all kinds is the order of the day in many parts of the world.

And far away from the county of fools, there are some foolhardy crusaders who despite being on a fool's errand, keep their hopes alive and keep digging deeper and deeper. Hoping someday, they would survive the onslaught of this army of fools and find their rightful place under the sun.