The adress of this blog has changed to: marianacremonini.wordpress.com.

Video about Madrid's air pollution.

Ranking good ideas.

Some days afo I knew a digital resource to rank the main daily news. The Niagara Rank web site uses the Twitter to follow the most commented topics on internet. It's a very interesting and innovative project. I had never seen a similar project. The idea was inspirated in a similar American project, Digg.

Niagara Rank is a Spanish news aggregator, which follows thousand of people to identify what are the best and more topics on internet. I had the opportunity to see a presentation about the project, done by one of the Niagara Rank's creators, Luistxo Fernandez . He define himself as a Basque journalist in another life. 

The Niagara started the operation few time ago, in January 7. The proposal is ranking twitters and topics. It is dividing everything in topics. For this, they are using only algorithms. And, of course, the social nerworks are the more relevant references. 

So, visit Niagara Rank!!!

About Social Networks, Google Glasses and devices.

When the community’s management teacher asked in class if the social networks increase isolation or community, I remembered of one things I heard occasionally in a bar in Brazil. Two friends were talking about how fast the new media is, when one of them said: The social networks approach who is far and dismiss who is close.

I never forgot this statement. When I watched the video about the Google Glasses Project, it was like gloves in my hands. I didn't know that guy and never saw him again. However, I totally agree with him. Yes, is true that we are, even more, enjoying the technological possibilities provided by the social media. And yes, this is amazing. Who doesn’t like to speak, at the same time, with friends who are living in Japan and in Canada by whatsapp? Or having news of your school friends through facebook? Can you imagine making a special music videofor your boyfriend/girlfriend showing the most beautiful live sunset, asthe guy of video?

With so many advantages is difficult to see a possible negative side for social network and their devices. Some people might say that is too much exposure or information, but in general the social networks have the sympathy of everybody. However, there is one thing I particularly hate, not in the media, but in people who are using them. I hate when people can’t control how long they spend checking their own accounts. It is terrible when you are having lunch with somebody, who doesn’t stop looking at the mobile. This is about the guy I mentioned before.  

In general I consider the social networks very important and practical. I can see many advantages in them. While maintaining contact with many people, I make good use for news and general information. In special with the devices that are being developed. 

Answering the teacher’s question: Social networks must be used with moderation. With balance they increase the best of the isolation and the community. And technology just can approach us.

What do you have saudade?

Saudade... How can I define this word in other language??? Ok, in English could be “miss somebody or something”. In Spanish: “echo de menos”. The translation is never the same thing, because in Portuguese, it is a word full of feelings. It’s something reserved for that kind of special moments. 

Looking the Facebook, I realized that today is the Saudade Day. So, what do you have saudade? I miss many things. I miss those things that are in the past with the good nostalgia’s taste. Things that were usually for me and they are temporarily suspended. Things with that I dreamed for a long time and now I don’t dream anymore. 

My mother’s smile, my father’s daily questions, the movie with the boyfriend, the beer with friends… I miss turning on the TV and the TV News in Portuguese, the coconut salesman shouting the coconute’s price on the beach, the smell of the sea, the samba batucada… There are so many things.

But… Every time I feel the saudade in my heart I think that is part of my life. Probably, in ten years I will remember this time living abroad missing so many things, exactly how I miss many things today. 

Happy Saudade Day!

... Inspired in Danielle's Muniz Facebook Text. :)

Journalism is a business: Is Breaking News a commodity?

In this exact moment, millions of people everywhere are connected on the most famous social networks, interacting with friends, researching for some information and consuming all kind of news are being produced on the internet. According to the report of International Telecommunication Union, more than one billion of people are using some kind of social networks. Many of these people inform themselves using these resources. More than this, there are people that decide which source of information will buy, after consulting the internet.

The traditional journalism is changing. The communication companies are trying to meet customers’ demands, producing content more fast and easy. For this reason, the Breaking News are, even more, valued than years ago. Today the competition is bigger. 

Be faster and dynamic can make the difference for credibility and also for the communication companies’ revenue. See the Breaking News as commodities may be a good solution for the future. We know that the news were always a business for the communication companies, but nowadays it is important consider that are many aggregate value for this kind of “product”. The internet expanded the business possibilities for the journalism. The internet also expanded the possibilities to make journalism. 

Of course, we can’t forget that as journalist, we have the obligation with ethics and truth. But every journalist also has to consider that are producing a kind “product”, usually, well evaluated. 

Commodity is a generic term used to describe items “wants or needs”. The term can complain products or services consumed in everywhere. The Breaking News are completely inside this context. As the coffee, sugar, iron ore or oil, the Breaking News are wanted, needed and can be a very profitable business. It’s time to see this without prejudice.     

What is happiness?

Hi,

I'm sharing a video produced for IE Master in Digital Journalism, with my classmates Sena Çakiroglu and Camilo Carlos Garcia.

What is happiness?

My business Idea

Instigated by my entrepreneurship’s teacher I started to think about some business ideas. If I want to invest my money and time in something, what would it be? I realized that, to invest in some product/service, you should believe and enjoy the idea. For this reason, I choose Brigadeiro.

Traditional Brigadeiros

 

For who doesn’t know, Brigadeiro is a very popular dessert in Brazil, made with condensed milk, butter and chocolate. It’s really delicious!!! It’s very difficult to find somebody who doesn’t enjoy the Brigadeiro experience. For this reason, I believe it can be an interesting business to start in Spanish market.

The traditional flavour is very attractive. However, nowadays there are many people in Brazil investing in different tastes of Brigadeiro. With this new possibility we can aggregate value for a simple and popular sweet. If I invested in brigadeiros I would start with four flavours: traditional; coffee; pistachio and cinnamon.

Different Flavour

 

As the first step I will do marketing between my classmates, from different countries. And then, I could define other possible tastes and layouts for packages to sell the brigadeiros. 

Different Packages

 

Furthermore, as I’m a journalist and don’t know many things about business, I’m following my entrepreneurship’s teacher suggestions. So, I decided I have to know how to answer the questions below:

-       What are the underlying business assumptions of your idea?

As I said before, brigadeiro is a very popular dessert in Brazil. Considering that Spanish people usually enjoy sweets, I believe it can be a perfect market. However, the underlying business of my idea considers the possibility to improve the traditional brigadeiro’s flavour. This way, brigadeiros have aggregated value, making more people enjoy this experience.

 

-       How would you test them?

My initial idea is to start selling brigadeiros between my IE classmates, which are from different countries. So, I will start with a small investment to see how the reaction will be. 

-       How would you evaluate them?

In this case is very easy to evaluate the success or not. In just need to observe how many brigadeiros I can sell and how long time I’ll spend doing it. After, I need to obverse the people’s reaction. However, after people try the sweet, I’ll do a quickly research about their opinions and suggestions. I can identify their preferences and tastes.

-       How would you proceed?

With their opinions in hands, I will adapt the brigadeiro’s menu and start to think about news business possibilities.