Taking Social Media To Next Level

World Editors Forum: Taking Social Media To Next Level

When it comes to using social media to improve crisis reporting, few have the experience of Al Jazeera, given its role in a volatile region – intense coverage of the Arab Spring, the Iranian elections, the Gaza conflict and more.

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 http://www.wan-ifra.org/kiev2012

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 “Taking social media to the next level,” other sessions for the Editors Forum include:

- The newsroom: Beyond integration, which 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, 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.

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, Publishers 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; Greg Hywood, Chief Executive Officer of Australia-based Fairfax Media; Gwen Lister, founder and Executive Director of The Namibian; and Vidar Herre, a photojournalist with Avisa Hordaland in Norway.

- Digital compass: Where are we going, who is leading the way?, 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; Christoph Keese, Head of Public Relations, Axel Springer, Germany; 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, Publisher and Senior Editor-in-chief, Helsingin Sanomat, 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.

About the World Editors Forum

The World Editors Forum is the only network exclusively dedicated to senior newsroom editors from across the globe. Its key missions are to represent these editors, to uphold editorial excellence, to provide editorial services and to define the future of journalism. It is also involved in defending free speech and promoting the right of the public to truthful information.

WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, Spain, France and Sweden, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Deputy CEO and Director of Communications and Public Affairs, WAN-IFRA, 96 bis, rue Beaubourg, 75003 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 07. Fax: +33 1 42 78 92 33. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: larry.kilman@wan-ifra.org