integrating sustainability themes into media - Collaborating Centre ...

Design/language/presentation of
content
with another being written by community members and offers users a
discussion platform.
e) Specials: MINIGOOD / GOOD Sheet
GOOD regularly creates special media initiatives in partnership with other
stakeholders. While the sponsor partners use these initiatives as marketing
tools, GOOD takes advantage of the opportunity to inform and raise
awareness of important social and sustainability issues. Two successful
examples include MINIGOOD and The GOOD Sheet:
MINIGOOD: In cooperation with The New York Times and carmaker MINI,
GOOD custom created and distributed 750,000 mini-mags through
subscribers of The New York Times. The mini-mag illustrated inspiring
examples of individuals who try to positively change the world. Each issue
contained an "If every passenger car in the US was a MINI" info graphic.
The GOOD Sheet: GOOD created a series of one-page brochure-style
broad-sheets for the coffee chain Starbucks. Similar to GOOD magazine’s
Transparency section, each GOOD Sheet presented a graphical exploration
of data on a certain social issue. During each of eleven weeks in autumn
2008 a different topic relevant to the US presidential election were
presented (e.g. carbon emissions, health care or education). Each issue
was presented by a different sponsor (e.g. GAP, Lenovo, Google) and
available for free in more than 7,000 Starbucks stores across the US.
Altogether, 20 Million GOOD Sheets were distributed.
Optimistic point-of-view, elegant layout, photography and illustrations, often
including a dose of humour.
Organisation of project Staff: 30 full-time, with half working on web and video platforms, half
working on the magazine. Several guest authors and freelancers.
Short description of media
system/legislation
Business strategy: While GOOD magazine was financed on Ben
Goldhirsh’s private resources at the outset, it now operates on the basis of
advertising revenues. The magazine has an innovative subscription model
where subscribers can choose their rate ($10, 20 or $50 a year) of which no
revenue goes to GOOD but rather to one of 12 non-profit organizations.
Using this model GOOD has raised over $1,000,000 for charity during its
first two years and has gained significant media attention for this unusual
model.
Media legislation:
In the US the freedom of press is guaranteed by the Constitution which
means that journalistic content must neither be influenced nor censored by
government.
Media landscape:
With more than 1,800 TV-channels, 15,000 radio stations, 10,000 daily and
weekly newspapers and even more magazines, the USA is home to the
world’s largest media landscape. The media market is intensely
concentrated with the five largest media companies owning 90% of the
market.
Economic interests play a major role in shaping the information served up to