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The Readership Conference & Expo is the premier event aimed at helping newspapers develop their audiences, whether in print or online.
 
The conference will showcase a wealth of new ideas and initiatives that highlight the opportunities and strategies which have proven successful in delivering continued audience growth on all platforms.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 16


08:00 Registration desk opens

13:45 - 14:10 Welcome Address
by Eamonn Byrne, Business Director, World Association of Newspapers

14:10 - 15:10 Keynote Speech
The Eternal Power of Print.
Why print will endure beyond the digital revolution and remain a part of our private and business lives forever! The business implications for media publishers of a bright future for print.

14H10 - 14H55 William Powers, Media columnist, National Journal magazine (Atlantic Media), USA

15:10 - 16:10 Session 1
New audience strategies
How to increase audience. Case studies from newspapers which have durably increased circulation of their print and digital publications.

Case Study
A new, low cost, print revenue opportunity for newspaper publishers.
15:10 - 15:35 Thomas Drensek, Head of Offset Printing, Axel Springer, Germany

New audience development strategies and the implications for revenue.
15:35 - 16:00 Randy Bennett, Senior Vice President Business Development, Newspaper Association of America, USA

16:10 - 16:25 Coffee Break

16:25 - 17:00 Session 2
Telegraaf.nl and Social Media
How Telegraaf.nl works together with social networks: set-up and preparation within the organization; benefits; what can be learnt from such an initiative
 
16:25-16:50 Lara Ankersmit, Publisher Online Media, Telegraaf Media, Netherlands

17:00 - 18:00 World Young Reader Prize review and presentation
What some of the world\'s smartest publishers and editors did to effectively engage the young, build loyalty and win a World Young Reader Prize.

Dr. Aralynn McMane, Director of Young Readership Development, World Association of Newspapers

The World Young Reader Prize is generously supported by Norske Skog, the global paper producer, as part of its support for WAN\'s Newspaper in Education Development Project.

19:30 - Dinner


FRIDAY OCTOBER 17


09:00 - 10:20 Session 3

Keynote speech by:
How the enormously successful newspaper company, Verdens Gang, integrates print and digital to gain new audiences and new revenues.
09:00 - 09:45 Torry Pedersen, CEO, Verdens Gang, Norway

The new newsroom: broadcast, print, web
Newspapers, which are the best at exploiting multi-media and competing effectively in the multi-media battle for audience and revenues describe their success.

Case study Russia
Meeting the challenges of new audiences with a new newsroom strategy.
09:45 - 10:10 Valery Levchenko, Deputy General Director, RIA NOVOSTI - Russian News & Information Agency, Russia

10:20 - 10:35 Coffee Break

10:35 - 12:00 Session 4
Making life easy for readers
Removing the barriers to readership and purchase. In this session we examine how newspapers can ensure that the circulation process, design and format of the newspaper removes the barriers to readership. In short, making life easy for the potential reader in order to attract and retain audiences.

A successful audience strategy
10:35 - 11:00 Mary Lou Fulton, Vice President of Audience Development, The Bakersfield Californian, USA
11:00 - 11:25 Mario Garcia, President, Garcia Media, USA
11:25 - 11:50 Sandy Romualdez, CEO, Philippines Inquirer, Philippines

12:00 - 13:00 Lunch

13:00 - 14:30 Session 5
The new newspaper opportunity
What is the future of the printed newspaper? This session examines the possible options that lie ahead for the industry - new formats, new niches, new products and new audiences.

13:00 - 13:25  Marcel Fenez, Global Leader for the Entertainment & Media practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Hong Kong

Swedish research - Future competitors - Future opportunities
What are the challenges that face publishers? Who are the new competitors beyond digital and what challenges will they represent?
13:25 - 13:50 Sören Karlsson, Editor-in-Chief, hd.se, Sweden and Erik Wilberg, Senior Management Consultant, Wilberg Management AS, Norway

13:50 - 14:15 Dr. Ulrike Handel, General Manager, Axel Springer AG, Germany


14:30 - 16:00 Session 6
Shaping the Future of the Newspaper
'Must know' strategies and tactics for developing your newspaper business.

The development of the UK Metro free daily newspaper. The progress and success to date, of the largest circulating national free daily in the world. How the business model works and how it will be expanded into new markets.
14:30 - 14:55 Karen Wall, Assistant Managing Director, Metro, Associated Newspapers, United Kingdom

Success with Print and Digital
Vorarlberger Nachrichten\'s strategy plan to make digital revenue 30% of all revenues within a few years, includes the success of Citizen Forums, Mobile Journalists + dedicated homepages foreach town in the paper\'s region.
14:55 - 15:20 Dr. Christian Ortner, Editor-in-Chief, Vorarlberger Nachrichten, Austria

Five 'must know' trends for newspaper publishers from the 2008 Shaping the Future of the Newspaper project (SFN).
15:20 - 15:45 Martha Stone, Director, Shaping the Future of Newspaper project, The World Association of Newspapers


For your convenience, the 11th Readership Conference and Expo will run consecutively to the 3rd World Digital Publishing Conference & Expo, to be held on 15-16 October at the same venue. Register for both events and save 25% on your second registration fee.