BCNMediaLab

Entrepeneur profiles: Anversal

Anversal is a newspaper and editorial design firm, founded in April 2009 by Olga Lamas, Víctor Gil and Teresa Domingo. The three of them are journalists, and worked together at the studio Cases i Associats for 10 years on all kinds of editorial projects before founding their own firm. One of their latest projects was the design of the newspaper Ara, but they have worked as well on the re-design of the portuguese newspaper Destake and other editorial and content planning projects for Time Out.

Víctor Gil used to work as an art director in the romanian newspaper Adevarul and the sunday edition of The Independent before founding his own firm. He says that the current economic situation “hasn’t been an obstacle for our company, beyond the usual: lower budgets and delayed payments”. Víctor insists to new entrepeneurs in the importance of communication and having a carefully nurtured contact network of potential clients.

Key data:

• Start up costs: 10.000€
• Staff at launch and today: 3.

December 21st: Journalists & entrepeneurs

Finally, it’s time for the second BCNMediaLab meeting. It will be on Tuesday, December 21st, at 19.30h in the bar 37 Grados in Barcelona.

Journalists & entrepeneurs: In the next BCNMediaLab we want to discuss an option that is increasingly popular among journalists: to become entrepeneurs. Journalists are building online micro news sites, social networks, independent audiovisual production companies, PR and communication agencies… Fortunately, there is a growing number of examples. What kind of knowledge and resources are necessary? Which ideas are more likely to succeed? and to fail? Is it a viable option for anybody, or only for a few?

We have invited four journalists-entrepeneurs to answer this and other questions, and to tell us their own experiences.

After the debate, do not leave so fast and join us for a Christmas beer in 37 Grados. Please, sign up here. See you on Tuesday 21st at 19.30.

Meanwhile, keep an eye on this blog as we will collect some ideas about this topic.

BCNMedialab has born

The BCNMedialab, a group of journalists that gathers regularly to debate around the media and communications sector, has just born. We think it´s time to open up the debate, add new ideas and seek solutions to the challenges journalism is facing.

We realized about the need to create a meeting point for journalists and those involved in communication, without companies or institutions behind. We want to reflect on the problems, challenges and development paths of our profession and we invite all of you who share similar interests and concerns.

Our starting point is a set of ideas about journalism that we have put together for discussion and can be summarized in one: Journalism should reinvent itself.

First meeting

We are glad to invite you to the first event on Thursday 21^st October at 19.30in the Barcelona Bar 37 grados. We thought it was good to start the meetings of BCNMediaLab talking about an issue that is happening right now in many newsrooms: How should journalists work in online social networks? Do they act on their own behalf or on behalf of their employer? We have invited three people who we think can help steer a debate that we want to turn into an open conversation for all attendees.

After the debate we can have a beer together at 37 Grados and get to know each other. See you on Thursday 21^st at 19.30. Please, sign in here.