MEDIA MARKET DATA - World Association of Newspapers

The competition, co-sponsored by SND and Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School ofPublic Communications, recognizes excellence in newspaper design, graphics andphotography. The judging takes place in two stages over two weeks in February at theNewhouse School in Syracuse, N.Y. Entries received in January numbered 14,610 in 19categories and almost 200 subcategories.http://www.snd.org/about/news_archive.html?sk=&sn=121; February 20, 2006Redesigning / RestructuringBelgiumDe Morgen, a Belgian broadsheet, redesigned and switched to Berliner format. Mario Garcia,who did the paper's last redesign in 1994, headed up the project with De Morgen art directorMartin Huisman and Christian Fortanet of Garcia Media's Spain office. The newspaper, whichin 2004 won Europe's Best Designed Newspaper in the category 'national newspaper,'invested €100 million in a new printing plant that is capable of "waterless" printing, whichsupposedly makes for better reproduction. The press is also capable of printing color on everypage, which Garcia took advantage of. http://www.newsdesigner.com/archives/002520.php;April 25, 2006Gay / Lesbian IssuesCameroonCameroon tabloid newspapers have alleged dozens of prominent politicians, entertainers andeven religious figures are gay, stirring a storm in a country where homosexuality is illegal.Many of those "outed" by the gutter press have strongly denied the allegations and some aretaking legal action, while blaming rivals for spreading the charges. The fortnightly La Meteosparked the scandal in its last edition with a feature on homosexuals in the west Africancountry. It was followed by two other papers not known for their ethics, Nouvelle Afrique andL'Anecdote, which proceeded to name names with abandon. They quoted unidentified"reliable sources" as saying that government ministers and other officials, artists and evenchurch dignitaries have had relations with people of the same sex in order to gainadvancement. Parliamentary Relations Minister Gregoire Owona, one of those named, toldAFP that he had demanded a right of reply in the press and lodged a complaint in the courts."I intend to safeguard my honour," he added. Cameroonian law provides for prison terms ofbetween six months and five years and fines of up to 200,000 CFA francs (300 euros, 360dollars) for homosexual practices. Such sentences are regularly handed down by the courts forwhat is locally referred to as "bilingualism." Human rights groups, which want to see an endto discrimination, reacted angrily to the latest wave of accusations. "Individual freedoms,whose respect is written into the constitution, must be guaranteed," said rights defenderSuzanne Kala Lobe, adding that the scandal smacked of "the inquisition." The newspapersconcerned, meanwhile are unabashed and one, L'Anecdote, came up with a new list this week."It's been a long time since our circulation exceeded 5,000," said editor Francois Bikoro."Since we began dealing with homosexuality it has gone up to more than 20,000." Theincriminating articles have created their own market, with originals fetching up to 5,000 CFAfrancs against a cover price of 300 and photocopies being traded undercover. AFP; February1, 200660