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Daily News Summaries of presentations and other news from the 53rd World Newspaper Congress, 7th World Editors Forum and Info Expo 2000, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 11-14 June 2000 For more information -- including copies of the presentations and WAN's soon-to-be-published Congress and Forum reports, contact WAN, 25 rue d'Astorg, 75008 Paris France, Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00, Fax +33 1 47 42 49 48. E-mail: contact_us@wan.asso.fr Press
release posted 12/06/2000 World's Newspapers Open Meeting With Call for Press Freedom English Spanish Golden Pen of Freedom to Jailed Syrian Journalist English Spanish World Press Trends: Newspapers on an upswing English Spanish French German New READY Partner for World Association of Newspapers: Unisys English Spanish French Exiled Journalist Calls for Urgent Action in Colombia English PressPoint Aids WAN Training & Events English French
Summary
posted 12/06/2000 World Press Trends: Newspapers in a Renaissance Timothy Balding, Director General, World Association of Newspapers Newspaper sales increased in many countries in 1999, while advertising revenues showed significant and often spectacular growth, according to World Press Trends, the annual survey of the global newspaper industry published by WAN. "The idea that newspapers could be in decline is now well behind us. The global newspaper industry is very much alive and robust and clearly in renaissance," said Mr. Balding. The 11th annual survey, which includes information on 64 countries, showed that: daily newspaper circulation continues to increase in the majority of countries; the number of daily titles increased in the majority of countries surveyed: newspaper advertising income is surging; newspapers continue to take full advantage of the potential opened up electronic media. The 237-page World Press Trends 2000 edition is available from WAN. E-mail joanna@wan.asso.fr for information. The Multiple Media Era: Consumers -- and Technology -- Will Rule Günther Böttcher, Managing Director, IFRA Mr Böttcher has seen the future, and the media consumer is in driver's sea -- and technology is the co-pilot. "Customer driven multiple media is the future. Change is technology driven," says Mr Böttcher, who heads the global organisation for newspaper technology. In a presentation entitled "Technology and Organisation for the Multiple Media Era," Mr Böttcher outlined strategic success factors for newspaper companies in the areas of multiple media strategy, quality, technology, organisation, flexibility and speed -- from e-commerce by portals to quality content to reporters with electronic notepads to a variety of printing technologies. Back to the Future of Print: The Newspaper as a Multimedium Gerd Finkbeiner, Chairman of the Board, MAN Roland Druckmaschinen, Germany Networking printed and digital news is a trend with enormous possibilities, says Mr. Finkbeiner. Though his company makes printing presses, he does not deny the internet's role as a new driving force in business, and he believes it holds opportunities to improve the printed newspaper of the future. "Reader profiles obtained through the internet could soon make the target group newspaper of tomorrow a reality," he says. "This is a newspaper that better utilises and markets its sales and distribution network as a viable and profitable core competence. And it's a newspaper as innovative as reliable printing technologies allow it to be." Mr. Finkbeiner looked at the possible strategic approaches for publishing houses to get their products to customers and to prevent important sources of revenue from migrating to "New Business competitors that are foreign to the world of print. ... A number of outstanding options exist in the printing sector that are effective and applicable regarding function, product, customer, geography, and job structure." If it bleeds, it leads? Paula Fray, Editor, Saturday Star, Johannesburg, South Africa The old adage about the popularity of violent stories in newspapers -- if it bleeds, it leads -- might sound like a smart practice in a crime-ridden city like Johannesburg. But that is not the case. "If newspapers publishing in societies where crime and violence is prevalent want to add value to their readers lives, then we need to recognise that: the challenges are harder; our readers demands are greater; and the impact on our reporters and photographers is significant," says Ms Fray. In a presentation entitled "Reporting on Violence in Post-Apartheid South Africa," Ms Fray discussed some ways to cover crime in places where violence is a fact of life. The Saturday Start conducted a readers survey that enabled the newspaper to test readers' reactions to a host of issues as well as their reaction to specific stories, pictures and headlines. And, when it came to crime, the survey found that readers did not want to be cushioned from such stories and they believed the newspaper had a responsibility to inform readers about crime. But they wanted it reported a certain way: real information, real action, real solutions. Ms Fray also discussed other challenges, such as how to protect its reporters from dangerous situations, and how to accurately reflect the crime situation, avoid misleading stereotypes and not rely on tired, worn formula crime stories. New Economy Newspapers Joseph McGrath, President, Unisys Global Industries, USA In a wide ranging presentation on "The Transformation of the Newspaper Industry in the New Economy," Mr McGrath outlined challenges faced by newspapers in the digital age and a variety of strategies for meeting the challenge. Among his points: the New Economy will dramatically change every industry; it will force everyone to re-invent themselves in the new world; these changes will affect every element of the enterprise; the blurring of boundaries between industries will create threats and opportunities; those who plan around future customers will be the big winners. Innovations in Newspapers: How The Best Face Future Challenges Juan Senor, Senor Consultant, Innovation International Media Consulting Group The newspaper industry in the year 2000 is marked by an increasingly competitive market and a richness in quality, innovation, talent and new technologies. Yet amidst the current 'culture of abundance,' many newspaper leaders have great uncertainty about the future. It is the Internet that has industry executives rattled. This annual report for WAN, presented by Mr Senor, reviews the scene at the turn of the century, includes a survey of newspapers on the internet, and presents a list of ten challenges for the years ahead. In addition to the internet, topics covered include: alliances with non media outlets; the impact of the new free newspapers; credibility and newspaper reader councils; integration of on-line and off-line staffs; minorities in the newsrooms; design and the shrinking newspaper; multimedia newsrooms; and newspaper "vision." "Innovations in Newspapers: The 2000 Annual Report" is available from WAN. E-mail joanna@wan.asso.fr for information.
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