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Behind and beyond … behind scenes and beyond borders

… the here and now … and the now and then … and the reason we need journalists

MARTINA NICOLLS

Apr 27

READ IN APP

Last week’s reading of local and international newspapers from my Paris home demonstrated a trending “behind” and “beyond” narrative: looking within and looking far out. I noticed articles not about the scene and the location but behind the scene and beyond the location – dissecting the small, precise minutiae that lead to an outcome and hypothesizing what might lie beyond the current situation. The narratives are both the “here and now” and the “now and then.”

Disneyland Paris goes behind the scenes of a magical event at the “one of a kind” Disney Music Festival while FT Weekend, the Europe Edition, goes behind the scenes of Sondheim’s swansong – Stephen Sondheim’s last musical Here We Are, scheduled to play at The National Theatre in London.

Many newspapers report from behind the scenes as Pope Francis is laid to rest in a private burial at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major on Saturday 26 April 2025 after a very public funeral mass at the Vatican in Rome.

Now that the pope is laid to rest, journalists are speculating what will happen at the cardinals’ Vatican enclave when they elect a new pontiff. Beyond Francis, the France 24 headlines state, as his funeral sparks “fevered speculation about how the next pope will guide the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.”

FT Weekend also looks at “life beyond banking” as well as “life beyond the appellation” – the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) certification for French agricultural products to authenticate a product, in this case wine, from a specific geographical location. The FT Weekend also speculates on “life beyond America” with more than a hint to Europe as Americans consider their living and working options.

As journalists look within, they look at broader social shifts – rethinking banking, wine traditions, and national identity. Is there a growing need to understand processes, uncover hidden details, then speculate about the future – whether for personal life changes and societal trends (migration) or institutional leadership (the future of the Catholic Church)?

I think it reflects a trend toward deeper narratives and longer arcs of meaning. More than news at face value, journalists are asking “what is happening behind this event?” and “what might unfold beyond this event?” Neither are the “big event” in itself as the main focus, but what lies before, in, and beyond.

In a world saturated with noise and urgency, these emerging narratives remind us that true understanding often lies behind the immediate scene and beyond the familiar frame. Whether in the gravity of a pope’s funeral, the creativity backstage at a musical, or the lifestyle decisions that lead people to new countries, the real story unfolds where few are looking.

As I read the current news, it makes me reflect more deeply, imagine more boldly, and live with awareness that most meaningful episodes are hidden and uncertain.