Good Print Ideas Still Work! - Steve Blacker

Claude Angeli is the 79-year-old executive editor of Le Canard Enchaine, a weekly satirical newspaper. He writes his articles in longhand. Angeli and his crew of 16 journalists - fewer than half of them writing on computers - are probably the most successful "gotcha" journalists in France.

Some of their past year triumphs: The former foreign minister, Michele-Alliot-Marie, was forced to step down after the newspaper revealed she had been vacationing in Tunisia, flying around with associates of former dictator, Zine-el-Abidine Ben Ali, and offering him French tear gas even as pro democracy protests were under way. And there was the public official who charged about $16,800 worth of cigars to the state and the one who lied about the size of his house to get around zoning laws in Provence. Both officials had to step down.

Claude Angel has worked at Le Canard Enchaine for 40 and is the author of some of its biggest stories and a half-dozen books. His winning formula has not changed, eight pages and lots of cartoons; and no ads. The paper focuses on just one topic the greed and stupidity of government officials; and they excel at this. Their Web page carries no articles just images of old front pages and a reminder to buy this week's issue on Wednesday.

While Frances large daily newspapers are failing and having major circulation declines, since Angeli took over in 2008 Le Canard Enchaine's circulation has gone up 32%! One his biggest scoops was when he published the tax returns of the Prime Minister, Jacques Chaban-Delmas, which showed that he had barely paid any taxes. In November Le Canard reported exclusively that Prime Minister Sarkozy was personally involved in spying on journalists who produced embarrassing stories about his administration.

Other print ideas that are doing extremely well include The Economist, The Week, The Food Network, Elle Magazine, Cosmo - to name just a few. The challenge is to either inform and/or entertain in a way that is innovative, unique and constantly delivers on the editorial promise. The ton of magazines that seem all alike and offer "walk of weight" cover lines are fighting a long term losing battle. The Internet has provided too many new sources and potential readers are looking for something that is truly different.

Steve's new book You Can't Fall Off The Floor - The Insiders' Guide to Re-Inventing Yourself and Your Career chronicles his 50 year career working for over 25 different companies with 189 lessons learned and insider tips from Gayle King, Cathie Black, Chuck Townsend and 28 others; Blacker is still going strong today as a partner in Frankfurt & Blacker Solutions, LLC. His web site is blacker-reinventions.com and e-mail address is blackersolutions@aol.com

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