Shaping the Newspaper of the Future

The major research project, funded by corporate donations through the WAN
READY programme, will track and publicise all significant developments in
the industry globally.

The special Hong Kong session on 5th June will highlight a few of them:

--The first publications that are offering digital, downloadable versions of
daily newspapers through the internet, including all the ads, graphics and
photographs the paper product provides. As newspaper companies struggle to
establish significant internet revenue streams, this development enables
them to take full subscriptions for their electronic editions, which will
appear in the same form as those found on the news-stands ­ what New York
Times' Chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr. calls the "missing link" between
on-line and print editions of the newspaper.

--Latest developments on the "tailored newspaper" in the context of new
research from WAN on innovations that could help the business advance.

The concept of the tailored newspaper is an attempt to provide readers with
only those parts of the newspaper that interest them while producing
operational efficiencies for the publisher, who won't have to distribute
unread material.

The technical ability to tailor the newspaper to the needs of the reader
already exists. The challenges lie in distribution and targeting ­ how does
a publisher plan distribution of different newspaper sections to different
reader groups, and how does one determine demands of each reader group?
Those questions will be discussed in a panel discussion with top executives
from some of the world's leading industry suppliers, grouped together in the
WAN READY project.

The READY project, "Shaping the Newspaper of the Future," will track other
significant developments as well: identifying a range of best practice
solutions for the modern newsroom; establishing successful alternative
revenue built around results and partnerships; introducing scalable,
flexible technology; finding ways to attract, develop and retain the best
people; and organising corporate structures.

The project is supported by the WAN READY partners: 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, a world-wide
leading supplier of mission-critical solutions, services and innovative
technology to the publishing industry.

More than 1,000 newspaper owners, publishers, chief executives, senior
editors and other managers are expected to attend the 54th World Newspaper
Congress, the 8th World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo 2001 at the
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 3 to 6 June 2001.

Further information on the Hong Kong events, together with the full
programmes, the participation list and the registration options, can be
found on the WAN web-site at www.wan-press.org or by contacting
[email protected].

Other Congress highlights include:

--A half-day programme devoted to new strategies for developing newspaper
advertising revenues and market share. The session will feature Roy Jeans,
Chief Operating Officer (UK and Eire) of Initiative Media, one of the
world's leading media buying agencies, and Yoichi Inose, Senior Manager in
the Media Lab Division of the giant Japan-based global ad agency Dentsu Inc.

-- A presentation by McKinsey and Co, the international management
consultants, on how newspaper companies can maintain their profits despite
negative economic trends by increasing efficiency, focusing on core
activities and building on their strengths.

--The annual WAN survey of world trends in the newspaper industry, including
the latest information on global developments in newspaper circulation and
advertising sales.

Members of the Host Committee for the Congress and Forum are: Joy-Shan Lam,
Managing Director, Hong Kong Economic Journal; Kin-ming Liu, General
Manager, Apple Daily; Andrew Lynch, Editor, Hong Kong iMail; Nigel Oakins,
Publisher and Executive Director, Hong Kong iMail; Ray Bashford, Deputy
Editor, South China Morning Post; Philip Revzin, Publisher, Asian Wall
Street Journal; Francis K.C. Tiong, Executive Director, Ming Pao Enterprise
Corporation; and Randy Weddle, Managing Director, Asia/Pacific,
International Herald Tribune.

The Congress and Forum will enjoy the sponsorship of: Apple Daily, The
Freedom Forum, The Hong Kong SAR Government, The Hong Kong Tourist
Association, The Hong Kong Economic Journal, The Hong Kong iMail,
International Herald Tribune, Ming Pao Enterprise Corporation, Sing Tao
Holdings, the South China Morning Post and Swire & Sons. The events are
supported by The Society of Publishers in Asia and the partners of the WAN
READY Project.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry,
represents 17,000 newspapers; its membership includes 67 national newspaper
associations, individual newspaper executives in 93 countries, 17 news
agencies and eight regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 25 rue
d'Astorg, 75008 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: [email protected]

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Larry Kilman
Director of Communications
World Association of Newspapers
25, rue d'Astorg
75008 Paris France
Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00
Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit our web site at www.wan-press.org