Speakers include Thomas Drensek, Managing Director of Axel Springer, one of Europe’s leading multimedia companies with 170 newspapers and magazines and more than 50 online offerings, Torry Pedersen, Editor in Chief of VG and VG.no, one of the world’s most innovative newspapers, both in print and online, Mary Lou Fulton, Vice President for Audience of the Bakersfield Californian, which is succeeding despite difficult conditions in the United States, Mario Garcia, whose reader-friendly designs grace some of the world’s most popular newspapers, and many others.

There is still time to register. Full details can be found here.

The Readership Conference will follow the annual World Digital Publishing Conference on 15 and 16 October, to give newspaper executives the opportunity to explore best practices on a wide range of newspaper operations at one convenient venue (Digital conference details here).

Other speakers include:

  William Powers, Media Critic for the US-based National Journal and author of “Hamlet’s Blackberry: Why Paper is Eternal,” a report on the power of print that provides compelling evidence about why paper will endure.

  Marcel Fenez, Global Leader for the Entertainment and Media practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, who will present trends for growth in the media industry.

  Randy Bennett, Senior Vice President for Business and Audience Development for the Newspaper Association of America.

  Lara Ankersmit Publisher of Telegraaf.nl, in the Netherlands, which has increased readership with interesting and unusual promotions.

  Aralynn McMane, Director of Young Readership Development for WAN, who will present the World Young Reader Prize winners and how they’ve successfully engaged the difficult audience of younger readers.

  Valery Levchenko, Deputy General Director of the Russian news agency Ria Novosti, who will describe how a new newsroom strategy is helping to reach new audiences.

  Martha Stone, Director of the Shaping the Future of the Newspaper Project, who will present five “must know” trends for newspaper publishers.

  Sandy Romualdez, CEO of the Philippines Inquirer, the country’s most widely read newspaper that has been expanding through special niche sections for youth, children, culture, society and even golf enthusiasts.

  Christian Ortner, Editor-in-Chief of Vorarlberger Nachrichten, the Austrian newspaper company that has been increasing readership through citizens forums, mobile journalists and dedicated homepages for each town in the paper’s region.

  And many others! Full details here.

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.