Would you read this book? 14-15 May 2015 Presentation to the Ombudsman Association Biennial Conference Ben Hagard, Head of the Communication Unit European Ombudsman

Who here has read the European Ombudsman’s Annual Reports 1995-2012?

If ombudsmen and their staff don’t read them, why would the public?

July 2013 New Ombudsman elected Emily O’Reilly National Ombudsman of Ireland Award-winning investigative journalist Three priorities: visibility, impact, relevance

Our priority for 2014: Transform the Report

But first we had to face some myths…

Myth n° 1 We publish for the citizens

European Parliament Rules of Procedure Annex X, article 3: 8. At the end of each annual session the Ombudsman shall submit to the European Parliament a report on the outcome of his inquiries. The Annual Report is an obligation Obligations don’t usually encourage dynamism

We should publish for the citizens

Myth n° 2 All we need is good content

Annual Report 2012 Would you read this? 100 pages Detailed analysis of cases closed Complex statistics No interactivity If you wouldn’t why would the public?

Good content is good, targeted content is better

Myth n° 3 One product can serve diverse audiences

Annual Report 2012 With one publication we were trying to satisfy: MEPs Legal specialists Potential complainants The general public By trying to satisfy everyone we satisfied no one

Diverse audiences need diverse products

The solution? eBook

Our aim: To push eBook to its limits!

Solution n° 1 A much shorter and much longer Annual Report!

Annual Report 2013 The Report is now only 40 pages long Written for a generalist public Far more accessible But it contains over 200 active links for those who want to read more Making it by far the longest Report ever!

Solution n° 2 Full online interactivity

Annual Report 2013 Social media content embeded throughout the eBook Tweets, Google+, Storify all clickable from within the eBook Sharable via our social media platforms

Annual Report 2013 Infographics embeded into the eBook Over a dozen infographics clickable from within the eBook Sharable via our website

Annual Report 2013 Videos integrated into the eBook Video highlights of all key events Video presentations of key cases Clickable, not embeded, to ensure maximum compatibility Sharable via the European Commission website

Solution n° 3 A separate publication for legal specialists!

Thematic analysis 2013 Detailed legal analysis of the cases closed in 2013

And all this in 24 languages…

Positive feedback received

European Parliament Report and vote in January 2015 Overwhelming approval for the new format “Commends this new approach on the Ombudsman’s part, […] to make her institution as accessible and user-friendly as possible.”

Who here will read the European Ombudsman’s Annual Report from now on?

Hopefully many more than before!

Thank you.