But when it comes to their media habits, it takes a lot of research to understand why they do what they do, and the implications their behaviour today holds for their future media consumption.

The latest research on the media habits of youth will be presented in "Youth Media ’DNA’: What the Young Want From Newspapers & Other Media," a special session at the World Newspaper Congress, to be held in Göteborg, Sweden, from 1 to 4 June next (www.wansweden2008.com).

The session will feature the first insights from the World Association of Newspapers international Youth Media DNA study, as well as results from a two-year project for the Swedish Newspaper Publishers Association aimed at gaining more knowledge about a specific group of young readers: 18- to 19-year olds who live independently and make their own financial decisions.

How interested are the young in news? Who are the main competitors for their hearts and minds? What do the young demand from editors and publishers? These are among the questions to be answered in the session, which will feature Robert Barnard, Partner & Founder of D-CODE in Canada, which is conducting the Youth Media DNA study, Anna Serner, CEO & Managing Director of the Swedish Newspaper Publishers Association, and Katarina Graffman, a cultural anthropologist with Inculature AB of Sweden.

Other young reader initiatives during the events include a round table seminar on "Winning Strategies for Engaging a New Generation" and the opportunity for participants to meet individually with experts on young readership development.

The World Newspaper Congress, World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo, the annual summits of the world’s press, are expected to draw up to 1,800 publishers, chief editors, managing directors and other senior newspaper executives and their guests to Sweden in June. Full details of the events can be found at www.wansweden2008.com. There is still time to register.

Other highlights of Congress business sessions include:

  A first business session on "Newspapers: A Multi-Media, Growth Business" - the Congress theme -- featuring Dean Singleton, the Vice Chairman and CEO of the MediaNews Group in the United States, Nelson Sirotsky, President & CEO of RBS Group in Brazil, Tim Bowdler, Chief Executive of Johnston Press in the United Kingdom, Leif Johansson, CEO of AB Volvo, and Fredrik Arp, CEO of the Volvo Car Corporation.

  Presentation of the best from the 2008 strategy reports of WAN’s major Shaping the Future of the Newspaper research project, analyzing developments and opportunities in the press industry . Highlights will include the results of a ’Scenario Planning’ process engaged by WAN to look at the threats, opportunities and possible disruptions lying ahead for the newspaper industry - and identifying a series of ’roadmaps’ to help publishers anticipate change.

  A session on "Protecting Publishers Interests", which will provide a summary of actions and projects to protect newspaper content investments, including the Automated Content Access Protocol and media rights to cover public events. Speakers include Gavin O’Reilly, Chief Operating Officer of Ireland-based Independent News & Media and Dominic Young, Director of Editorial Services for News International.

  World Press Trends in the Newspaper Industry, the annual survey of world-wide circulation, advertising and other trends presented by Timothy Balding, CEO of WAN.

  The 2008 Global Report on Innovations in Newspapers by the Innovation International Media Consulting Group, which will focus on new supplements and magazines that sell more newspapers; on what works (and doesn’t work) in free newspaper publishing; on training for the multi-media era; on a review of the Scandinavian newspaper markets; on multi-media newsroom management - and much else. The presentation will be made by Juan Senor and the team of Innovation consultants.

  A session on how press groups are using outsourcing of editorial, advertising, and digital functions to reduce costs and streamline their businesses. Speakers include Tony Watson, Editor-in-Chief of The Press Association in the United Kingdom, and Joe Webb, the Deputy Managing Director of Independent Newspapers in Ireland.

Other Congress speakers include: Giorgio Valerio, Managing Director, RCS Quotidiani, Italy; I. Venkat, Board Director, Eenadu, India; Sara Ohrvall, Senior Vice President/Research & Development, the Bonnier Group, Sweden; Tomas Brunegard, CEO, the Stampen Group, Sweden; Per Lyngby, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Nordjyske, Denmark; Christian Van Thillo, Chief Executive Officer, De Persgroep, Belgium; Francis Morel, Managing Director, and Pierre Conte, Deputy Managing Director/New Media & Advertising, Le Figaro Group, France; Per Axel Koch, Chief Executive Officer of Adresseavisen in Norway; Arne Wallin, President, Holmen Paper; Tony Watson, Editor-in-Chief of The Press Association in the United Kingdom; and Joe Webb, Deputy Managing Editor of Independent Newspapers in Ireland.

The Congress, Forum and Expo will be opened by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Full details at www.wansweden2008.com.

Sponsors for the events now include Volvo, Holmen Paper, SAS, Bonnier, the Stampen Group, Öhrlings Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Tidningsutgivarna, V-Tab, Latte, VLT, RIA, KBA-Nordic, StingPlay and Taxi Göteborg.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom and the professional and business interests of newspapers world-wide. Representing 18,000 newspapers, its membership includes 77 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 11 regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.