Newspaper & Mailroom

First Speakers Announced for World Newspaper Congress

Monday 30. December 2013 - USA Today, The Asahi Shimbun, the Guardian, The Associated Press and RCS MediaGroup are among the leading news media companies to be featured at the 2014 World Newspaper Congress, World Editors Forum and World Advertising Forum, the global meetings of the world's press to be held in Torino, Italy, from 9 to 11 June next.

The Congress, Editors Forum and Advertising Forum, which take the theme, “New Voices, New Reality, New Energy”, are expected to draw more than 1,200 publishers, chief editors, CEOs and other senior newspaper and news publishing executives to Torino to hear how pioneering companies are confronting the transformation of the news business today.
First confirmed speakers include:
– Gary Pruitt, President and CEO of The Associated Press;
– Guy Black, Executive Director of Telegraph Media Group in the United Kingdom;
– David Callaway, Editor-in-Chief, USA Today;
– Janine Gibson, Editor-in-Chief of Guardian US;
The most relevant personalities of the Italian economy and newspaper landscape will also be present, including John Elkann, Chairman of Fiat, Carlo De Benedetti, Chairman of Gruppo Editoriale L’Espresso, Pietro Scott Jovane, CEO of RCS MediaGroup and Mario Calabresi, Editor of La Stampa.
Other confirmed speakers include:
– John Paton, CEO of Digital First Media in the United States;
– Andrew Betts, Director of FT Labs of the Financial Times, UK;
– Eugen Russ, CEO of RussMedia Group, Austria;
– Yoichi Nishimura, Board Director and Digital Business Director of The Asahi Shimbun and Corporate Representative Director of The Huffington Post Japan;
– Jean-Baptiste Morin, Chairman and CEO, LS Distribution of Lagardere Services, France;
– Giannina Segnini, Investigative Unit Editor at La Nacion in Costa Rica;
– Gabriel Kahn, Director of Future of Journalism at the Annenberg Innovation Lab, USA;
– Amy Webb, Founder and CEO, WebbMedia Group, USA;
– George Nimeh, Chief Digital Officer, Kurier, Austria;
– Robyn Tomlin, Editor, Digital First Media’s Project Thunderdome, USA
– Jason Seiken,  Content Director, The Telegraph, UK;
– Plus many more!
The 66th World Newspaper Congress, 21st World Editors Forum and 24th World Advertising Forum, organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), is the most significant annual gathering of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. The events provide best case studies and presentations by global industry leaders on subjects of pressing concern to the news industry: new digital revenues, innovation; strategies in turbulent times; newsroom evolution; audience loyalty; advertising networks; multimedia operations; and much more.
Alongside the Congress, Editors Forum and Advertising Forum, Info Services Expo 2014 will present innovative solutions from the international suppliers’ community, and a unique “Energy Lounge” will provide a look at emerging, interesting and exciting technological products and services that might have an impact on news media in the future.
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.
Torino is a major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, the capital of the Piedmont region and home to Fiat, Lancia, Pininfarina, Alfa Romeo, Lavazza, Martini & Rossi, Ferrero and many other international companies. The city, surrounded by the Alps, is known for its museums, churches, palaces, theaters and other cultural offerings. It was the host of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
The Congress and Forums will be held in the Renzo Piano-designed Lingotto Conference Centre, a former industrial factory transformed into a modern, multifunctional centre.
Partners in the events include the City of Torino, Turismo Torino e Provincia Convention Bureau, La Stampa and RCS Quotidiani. Official sponsors include Fiat Chrysler and La Stampa.