WAN congress to focus on reaching young readers

It doesn't take extensive research to know that young people are restless, demanding and consumption-oriented, and that they act on impulse and are used to accessing their media free of charge. But when it comes to their media habits, it takes a lot of research to understand why they do what they do, and the implications their behavior today holds for their future media consumption.

The session will feature the first insights from the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) international Youth Media DNA study, as well as results from a two-year project for the Swedish Newspaper Publishers Association aimed at gaining more knowledge about a specific group of young readers: 18- to 19-year olds who live independently and make their own financial decisions.

How interested are the young in news? Who are the main competitors for their hearts and minds? What do the young demand from editors and publishers? These are among the questions to be answered in the session, which will feature Robert Barnard, partner and founder of D-CODE in Canada, which is conducting the Youth Media DNA study, Anna Serner, CEO and MD of the Swedish Newspaper Publishers Association, and Katarina Graffman, a cultural anthropologist with Inculature AB of Sweden.

Other young reader initiatives during the events include a round table seminar on "Winning Strategies for Engaging a New Generation" and the opportunity for participants to meet individually with experts on young readership development.

The World Newspaper Congress, World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo, the annual summits of the world's press, are expected to draw up to 1800 publishers, chief editors, managing directors and other senior newspaper executives and their guests to Sweden in June. Full details of the events can be found at www.wansweden2008.com. There is still time to register.