The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is set to launch a new initiative known as the “World Printers Forum”. The forum will be for the newspapers printing and production community including both experts from newspaper printing and production operations and vendors of related equipment.
The World Printers Forum (WPF) , similar in structure to WAN-IFRA’s World Editors Forum for senior newsroom executives, will address the issues of concern to the printing community and will work to bring innovation to all areas of newspaper production across the globe.
According WAN-IFRA’s CEO, Vincent Peyregne, “Though digital media gets most of the attention today and is increasing the audiences for newspapers, it is important not to overlook print, which still attracts 2.5 billion daily readers and produces more than 93 per cent of newspaper company revenues globally. Our members engaged in printing and production operations, and the suppliers, who provide much of the innovation in this sector, are key assets to our industry, and the World Printers Forum concept is the result of their requests for a global platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices.”
The Forum will come together with an inaugural conference at the World Publishing Expo 2014, the largest global trade exhibition for the news publishing and media industry to be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands from October 13 to 15, 2014.
The WPF will also guide WAN-IFRA’s activities in all areas of newspaper production, materials and sustainability as well as developing new business models for print and operating printing plants as an independent profit center.
Speaking on the new development, Manfred Werfel, WAN-IFRA Deputy CEO and Executive Director said the WPF will be the home for the print community within WAN-IFRA. He said the Advisory Council made it clear that print is an integral part of the news publishing business, still full of innovation and a powerful platform for newspaper publishers worldwide. He also said that in combination with mobile digital publishing platforms, print contributes to the success of newspaper publishing.
The WPF, which will take final form at the Expo in October, is expected to be driven by a board comprised of printing and production experts and representatives from the technology supplier companies.
Click the link for more information http://www.worldpublishingexpo.com
