Graphic strategises to deliver superior content

The editors and some senior reporters of the seven news brands of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) have completed a two-day training programme to deliver superior content at Tutu Akuapem in the Eastern Region.

The programme, which was held over the weekend, was aimed at equipping the participants with emerging trends in digital journalism and news delivery using features to enhance the experience of news consumers.

It was also to ensure that the GCGL, which publishes the Daily Graphic, The Mirror, the Graphic Business, the Graphic Sports, the Graphic Showbiz, the Junior Graphic and Graphic Online, was well-positioned to continue its dominance as the source of credible, accurate as well as exclusive, enriched and well-presented news, from general happenings in the country to specialised areas such as the economy, arts and entertainment, sports and child-youth education, for consumers.

Ideas bank

The Board Chairman of the GCGL, Professor Kwame Karikari, led two other resource persons, Nana Kwasi Gyan Appenteng and Dr Yao Graham, to take participants through the importance of articles to the news media, the changing dynamics in feature writing, how to write compelling and sellable features for both print and online and how to present features using infographs.

There were suggestions and ideas from the participants that could be pursued and developed into feature articles for the respective brands.

The ideas are to be 'stored' in an 'ideas bank', a reservoir of ideas on possible feature articles that will be fine-tuned in the course of time and developed for publication.

Prof. Karikari pledged the support of the board to the editors and the News Department in general to help improve the content of the various platforms to enrich the experiences of consumers of GCGL brands.

At the end of the training, the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Kobby Asmah, resolved to establish a Writers' Desk for the paper, the GCGL’s flagship brand and Ghana's most widely circulated and trusted brand.

The desk, he explained, would be tasked with the responsibility of researching on and writing comprehensive feature articles for the Daily Graphic and the other six publications of the group.

Innovation

The Director of News at the GCGL, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, said over the years, the group had been at the forefront of innovation to enrich its content and give consumers richer experiences.

She said the company had identified feature articles as a medium that could further set it apart in the industry, hence the decision to organise the training.

According to her, similar training would be organised for another batch of journalists of the company soon.