Integrated newsrooms have taken the UK newspaper market, one of the world's most dynamic, by storm. National quality papers have led the charge with the regional press right on their heels, experimenting with multimedia journalism and transforming the newsroom culture to fit the digital age. In combination with these transformations, UK newspapers have conserved resources and minimized expenditure, continuing to provide their readers with top-quality journalism in spite of the global financial crisis.

In joining the World Editors Forum for the UK Nationals and Regionals Study Tour, you will discover how newspapers in the UK have remained innovative while saving money.  



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Sunday, 26 April

Monday, 27 April

The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph spurred a revolution in 2006 with its hi-tech, open-floor plan, multimedia newsroom. The innovative "hub and spokes" newsroom launched new reflections on the importance of newsroom architecture in the success of a newspaper. Since then, the Telegraph has partnered with several editorial providers, namely ITN for video and the Australian firm Pagemasters for sub-editing functions, all the while increasing its website traffic exponentially and has maintaining strong circulation.
At The Daily Telegraph, study tour participants will learn:
1. How the world's most highly regarded integrated newsroom has evolved
2. What steps the Telegraph has taken to outsource editorial production and what effects outsourcing has had on the newsroom
3. About the "post-moderation" experiment in which journalists post content first and editors edit later

The Guardian
The Guardian moved into a state-of-the-art new building in November 2008. The newsroom has been constructed to accommodate a completely integrated multimedia operation to boost the papers already impressive website readership. Having once adopted a non-integration policy, participants will find out how the Guardian made the move and how it has honed its integration strategy to reduce costs.
At The Guardian, study tour participants will learn:
1. How the paper made its integration efforts a "bottom-up, consensual process" involving most of the newsroom
2. How the Guardian took huge integration steps without redundancies
3. What are "platform neutral" editors and how do they work in the Guardian's new "pod" newsroom system

The Financial Times
THE FINANCIAL TIMES (subject to confirmation)
17h30-19h00
The venerable pink sheet has planned an even more intense digital and print integration strategy than it's already ambitious designs and has made new digital products and online subscriptions a priority. In the meantime, it has trimmed staff in all corners of the globe. Find out how the FT is managing to reinvent itself with limited resources.
A visit with Hugh Carney, Executive Editor, will teach participants:
1. the practice of "storybuilding"
2. the benefits of the Web for speedy publication of business news
3. how it has increased readership and online subscriptions

Tuesday, 28 April

The Times of London/News International
Despite the looming economic crisis and a significant investment in its multimedia offerings, The Times of London turned the first profit in its history of News International ownership in 2007. Currently, the Times is defining its integration strategy which will include a move to a new building. 
At The Times of London study tour participants will learn:
1. How the Times is taking the integration process step by step and how the newsroom is involved in the decision making process
2. What the Times did to create one of the most highly respected news websites on the internet and how it tracks its users
3. How the Times has developed additional online features, including one of the most comprehensive archives on the Web

The BBC
The BBC set quality journalism standards for the better part of the twentieth century. Now, in the digital age, the BBC has realized the potential of the Internet and is aggressively developing features, both editorial and technical, that are defining new journalistic practices and extending the reach of the organization in the UK to a hyper-local level.
At the BBC, study tour participants will learn:
1. How the newsroom has been streamlined to create efficiencies between digital and traditional activities.
2. What strategies such as content sharing the association is using to economise
3. Why the BBC is emphasizing news personalization on its homepage

End of Nationals Module / Beginning of Regionals Module

Round Table and Cocktail with UK media experts
With one of the most dynamic newspaper and media markets in the world, the UK can teach many strategies to media from elsewhere. Round table guests will discuss the state of the UK press, make educated predictions for its future, and invite study tour participants to share their own experiences. Topics will include:
o    Innovative steps UK media are taking to weather the storm
o    The diminishing role of sub-editors and its effect on journalism
o    Does editorial outsourcing make sense?
Guests include:
o    George Brock, International Editor, Times of London
o    Robert Andrews, UK Editor, paidcontent.co.uk
o    Stephen Brook, Assistant News Editor, MediaGuardian
o    Roy Greenslade, Journalism professor and Guardian columnist
o    John Thompson, Editor and Pulbisher, journalism.co.uk
(speakers subject to confirmation)

Wednesday, 29 April

Nottingham Evening Post/Northcliffe Media
In 2007, the Northcliffe Newspaper Group adapted to the digital world by changing its name to Northcliffe Media Limited. From then on, the regional giant has launched an array of initiatives to serve its local readers. Its "thisis" network boasts over 150 online publications, over 3 million unique visitors per month and includes topic specific sites such as entertainment and business channels. One of its papers, the Nottingham Evening Post, has an award winning website, an integrated newsroom, and is very engaged in User-Generated Content.
At Nottingham Evening News, study tour participants will learn:
1. Why NEP's webiste was voted best of the year
2. How NEP integrated its newsroom and convinced its journalists of the need for multimedia content production
3. How NEP invites its readers to contribute stories, images and video

Trinity Mirror Regionals
November 2008 marked a radical new strategy for Trinity Mirror Regionals: the merger of three newsrooms into one. The highlight of the big move was the new, open-floor newsroom that facilitated Trinity's ambitious digital integration strategy. Participants will discover how Trinity was able to make the move with limited resources and its plans for smooth integration that included closer collaboration between editorial and advertising desks and new newsroom positions such as Community, Interactivity, and Business Development Editors.
At the Trinity Mirror Regionals, study tour participants will learn:
1. How the integration of three newsrooms has affected working practices and why the papers are now more efficient
2. What newsroom architecture Trinity chose and the importance of the physical layout to editorial success
3. How Trinity Mirror has trained its traditional journalists in multimedia news production

Thursday, 30 April

The Lancashire Evening Post/Johnston Press/UCLAN
From the first steps of its "Digital Newsroom of the Future" project, the Lancashire Evening Post (LEP), a newspaper of regional publisher Johnston Press, worked closely with the University of Central Lancashire's multimedia-focused Department of Journalism. The results have spurred a dramatic cultural change. Participants will find out how LEP print reporters became quickly adept at producing multimedia reporting as well as the secrets to LEP's astounding online growth, community engagement strategies and innovative newsroom atmosphere.
At the Lancashire Evening Post, study tour participants will learn:
1. How the "Digital Newsroom of the Future" Project changed the mentality of LEP's staff
2. What new roles have been created to drive LEP into the multimedia world
3. How LEP is using social media to connect with its audience

Manchester Evening News (subject to confirmation)
The Manchester Evening News undertook one of the most ambitious newsroom integration projects amongst UK regionals in 2006. All of the publisher's holdings, which include print, television, radio and Internet, were combined into one newsroom and journalists underwent a rigorous training program to get accustomed to the change. The results have been impressive: MEN's circulation and revenues are up and the newsroom has created efficiencies by combining the efforts of journalists across all platforms.
At the Manchester Evening News, study tour participants will learn:
1. How traditional journalists became full-blown multimedia journalists in the UK's most converged regional newsroom
2. How complete convergence has contributed to major efficiencies in editorial production and saved costs
3. Why the hub and spoke newsroom design is not always the best means of integrating print and online activities

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Study Tour: Fees and Conditions

MAXIMUM OF 30 PARTICIPANTS
 (Study Tour language: English)



You are encouraged to sign up soon as space is limited and participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

PRICING:
Standard price: EUR3,900
WEF Members: EUR3,400

OPTIONAL PRICING
To accommodate different interests and budgets, the UK Nationals and Regionals Study Tour has been divided into Regional and National modules of 2 days each. You may decide to join WEF for only one of the 2-day modules:
Standard price 1 module: EUR2,400
WEF Member price 1 module: EUR2,100
Please indicate if you would like to join the Nationals or Regionals module:
Dates
Nationals Module: Sunday, April 26 at 19h00 to Tuesday, April 28 at 16h00
Regional module: Tuesday, April 28 at 18h00 to Thursday, April 30 at 15h30

The price includes all hotels, meals and transport within the United Kingdom during the duration of the study tour, (19h00 Sunday, 26 April to 15h30 Thursday, 30 April). Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the United Kingdom. The tour begins in London and ends in Manchester.