World Editors Forum: Taking social media to next level

As head of social media for the Qatar-based Al Jazeera Network, Riyaad Minty has increasingly focused on the use of citizen media for crisis reporting, and on ensuring Al Jazeera's presence across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social platforms. He will share his experiences at the 19th World Editors Forum, to be held in Kiev, Ukraine, from 2 to 5 September next.

Other participants in the session on "Taking social media to the next level" include Aldo van Weezel, business development consultant with Germany-based ppi Media, who is advising the Chilean magazine industry on its digital strategy; Vicent Partal, founder and director of VilaWeb.cat, the main Catalan-language newspaper in Spain; and Mark Little, founder and CEO of UK-based Storyful, a news agency for the social media age who will provide advice on integrating video into newsrooms.

There is still time to register; full details can be found at www.wan-ifra.org/kiev2012

The World Editors Forum will be held concurrently with the 64th World Newspaper Congress in Kiev. More than 1000 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 "Taking social media to the next level," other sessions for the Editors Forum include:

• The newsroom: Beyond integration: This explores the development of truly integrated and cost-effective editorial operations and features: Raju Narisetti, managing editor of the Wall Street Journal Digital Network; David Boardman, executive editor and senior vice president of the Seattle Times; Martin Jönsson, deputy editor-in-chief of Svenska Dagbladet in Sweden; and Juan Señor, a partner in the Innovation International Media Consulting Group.
  
• Two-speed storytelling: This deals 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.

As in past years, the WEF will hold a number of sessions simultaneously with the World Newspaper Congress, including these: