The 2000 WAN-IFRA World Forum
on Newspaper Strategy

28-29 September, Manoir de Gressy, Gressy, France

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Media Trends: The Impact on Newspapers
The impact of long term media trends on newspapers is the focus of the 2000 World Forum on Newspaper Strategy, which has drawn dozens of senior newspaper executives to a two-day meeting in France. more

Presentations Friday, 29 September
Friday, September 29, 2000, 15:25 GMT

The customer and his needs come first and last
Stuart Garner, President & CEO, Thomson Newspapers, USA

Never mind the internet — there have always been challenges to newspaper revenues posed by other media.

"I've been in this business for 34 years, and there have never been anything but threats," said Mr Garner. "Free distribution newspapers, free advertising papers, TV, radio, niche operators who fly under the radar and cherry pick our best customers — all of these chip away at our advertising base. As long as we are alert and nimble-footed we should be able to deal with them in the future as we have in the past."

Mr Garner put the emphasis on "alert and nimble-footed," and urged publishers to use new technology — marketing databases and the internet — to better advantage. And, most importantly, he warned against taking customers for granted, both readers and advertisers, and responding to what they want.

"In with content that is required reading every day for which people will pay. Out with price-oriented selling of space. In with tailored marketing programmes utilising a multi-tiered range of products. The customer and his needs come first and last," he said.

Slow Death, or New Beginning?
Simon Lloyd, President, Optimedia International, France

Some would find it shocking to hear an advertising specialist say, "I think newspapers can be the medium of the 21st century."

Mr Lloyd admits he is more optimistic than some of his colleagues in the media buying world. Nevertheless, he qualified his statement by saying that publishers will have to do a lot of work if they want his prediction to come true.

He provided a critical "to do" list:

Build on the trust that already exists. "Yours is one of the few products that people go out and buy day after day."

Develop the brand in multiple forms. "Your product is not a piece of paper, it's a brand."

Cross-promote online to build future off-line readers.

Demonstrate effectiveness. "The information is there to measure effectiveness."

Be flexible. "Many newspapers won't listen to their advertisers about how advertisers can be encouraged to use their medium. We meet a stone wall."

Is film dead?
Friedrich Hujer, Member of the Board, AGFA, Belgium

Newspapers are not alone when it comes to adjusting to digital technology, says Mr Hujer.

He should know. As a Board Member of a major film manufacturer, he has seen his industry challenged by the rise of digital photography. Is film dead? Hardly. Both picture taking and photo finishing continues to grown unabated.

Since digital photography began to take off in 1995, there has been no impact on the traditional photo market.

And that is no accident.The traditional film industry followed a strategy that led to improvements in the traditional products while, at the same time, "building bridges" into the new technology.

The parallels to newspapers facing the internet are clear, and there are lessons to be learned.

"The most important thing is to not forget the strengths and weaknesses of traditional products. You must not allow them to degenerate while continuing consumer value exists," he said. "But this is not enough. It is vital to the photo industry to adapt existing photo techniques to digital photography, and visa versa."

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The WAN-IFRA World Forum on Newspaper Strategy is generously supported by PubliGroupe, the Swiss-based international advertising and promotion group; Telia, the Sweden-based international telecommunications company; WRH Marketing, the marketing and distribution organisation of Swiss-based WRH Walter Reist Holding AG, which includes the Ferag group of companies; MAN Roland, a leading world company for newspaper production systems; UPM-Kymmene, one of the world's leading printing paper producers; and Unisys, one of the largest worldwide suppliers of information technology solutions.