Newspaper & Mailroom

Fresh organizational thinking required – and delivered

Thursday 26. July 2012 - Seattle Times Executive Editor David Boardman has joined the programme of the World Editors Forum, to be held in Kiev, Ukraine, from 2 to 5 September next, to discuss the paper's radically restructured news operation in a much anticipated session dedicated to innovations in newsroom organisation.

New platforms for delivering news content seem to emerge every day – while publishers’ resources continue to shrink. That situation calls for fresh organisational thinking. The Seattle Times has abandoned the conventional print/online distinction, and organized staff by position in the news reporting process: creation, curation and community.
Mr Boardman will inform participants about his news operation at the 19th World Editors Forum in a session on “Beyond integration,” along with Raju Narisetti of the Wall Street Journal, Martin Jönsson of Svenska Dagbladet, and Juan Señor of Innovation Media Consulting Group.
The World Editors Forum will be held concurrently with the 64th World Newspaper Congress in Kiev. More than 1,000 newspaper publishers, chief editors and other senior newspaper executives from more than 100 countries are expected to attend the Congress and Forum, the global summit meetings of the world’s press organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).
In addition to “Beyond integration,” other sessions for the Editors Forum include:
– Two-speed storytelling, dealing with the contrast between high-speed, interactive digital journalism and a re-emerging focus on long-form stories. Both use creative but widely different storytelling tools and techniques. The session includes Mario García, CEO and Founder, García Media, USA; Jacek Utko, Design director, Bonnier Business Press, Sweden; and Adonis Durado, Design Director, Muscat Press and Publishing House, Oman.
– Ethics and standards – rebuilding trust: In a world where more and more news sources are provided by blogs and social media, mainstream news outlets have to work harder to maintain their authority, particularly when scandals hit. How can professional journalists and their publications distinguish themselves as accurate and objective sources of information and regain the trust of their readers? Do we need to rethink ethical codes? The session features Guy Berger, Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development, UNESCO, Paris, France, Oksana Bogdanova, Editor-in-Chief, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Ukraine; Shoma Chaudhury, Managing Editor, Tehelka, India; Stephen Pritchard, Readers’ editor, The Observer, UK; and Andrew Moger, Executive Director, News Media Coalition, UK.
– Taking social media to the next level: Social media provide unprecedented opportunities to engage with readers, as well as to attract new ones. Can journalists take full advantage of what it can offer and truly integrate its use into their reporting? Is Twitter driving the news agenda and how do you turn followers into readers? The session includes Aldo van Weezel, Business Development Consultant for Latin America for ppi Media, Riyaad Minty, Head of Social Media, Al Jazeera Media Network, Qatar; Vicent Partal, Founder and Director, VilaWeb.cat, Spain; and Mark Little, founder and CEO Storyful, Ireland.
As in past years, the WEF will hold a number of sessions simultaneously with the World Newspaper Congress, including these:
– Around the world in 60 minutes, a tour of the latest media trends emerging world-wide, featuring Tomas Brunegård, CEO of Stampen Group in Sweden; Carlos Fernando Lindenberg Neto, CEO of Rede Gazeta in Brazil; Mohamad Alayyan, Publisher and Chairman, United Jordan Press; Pichai Chuensuksawadi, Editor in Chief of The Bangkok Post in Thailand; Trevor Ncube, Deputy Executive Chairman of South Africa’s Mail & Guardian; and Maxim Melnikov, CEO, Media3, Russia.
– Winners shaping the future, a look at some of the more successful new business models, technology and forms of journalism emerging today, featuring Michael Golden, Vice Chairman of the New York Times Company; Gwen Lister, founder and Editor-in-chief of The Namibian; and Vidar Herre, a photojournalist, and Tor Halvorsen, News Editor, both with Avisa Hordaland in Norway.
– Digital evolution, which will examine the latest developments in paid content, tablet, mobile and video and the industry’s best paid-for apps, featuring Annelies van den Belt, CEO, SUP, Russia; Simon Regan-Edwards, Head of Technology for The Times and Sunday Times in the UK; Tor Jacobsen, Managing Director of Verdens Gang in Norway; Mikael Pentikainen, CEO Publisher, Sanoma, Finland; Marc Challinor, Head of Mobile, The Daily Telegraph, UK; Morten Henriksen, CIO Berner Gruppen, Norway; and Dietmar Schantin, Founder of the Institute of Media Strategies, Austria.
As always, the events are accompanied by an array of social events, gala dinners and lunches and are considered to be the premier opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world.