Leaders in world publishing meet for Dubai Conference

This event is the most significant specialised publishing conferences held in the Middle East, bringing together the world's two largest associations for newspapers and magazines - the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and the International Federation of Periodical Publishers (FIPP).

The conference is organised by WAN and FIPP in conjunction with the Dubai Consultancy, Research and Media Centre (DCRMC) and is being attended by leading newspaper and magazine executives from the region and around the world.

The theme of this year's event is 'Re-Inventing the Middle East Publishing Market' and speakers and delegates will address the opportunities and challenges of the regional publishing environment as seen through the eyes of the global publishing community.

During a media conference held yesterday in the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai, attended by the heads of the two global organisations, Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori, president of the Dubai Consultancy, Research & Media Centre, said that last year's inaugural conference made such an impact that it has since been rated as one of the world's top five events in the publishing industry.

'I can assure you that the 2006 edition will be equally memorable,' he added. 'We have an impressive array of speakers, a programme that covers the critical issues facing our industry - regionally and internationally, and a marvellous opportunity to share opinions and experience with professional counterparts from across the world.

'The conference will focus on the transformation taking place in Middle East publishing - from the emergence of free distribution papers to the greater transparency that is now evident in the region's media, along with an unprecedented willingness to address threats and opportunity posed by digital media.'

Keynote addresses at the conference will be given by Timothy Balding, chief executive of WAN, and Chris Llewellyn, chairman of FIPP and managing director of Emap International.

Workshops will cover topics such as:


• Will online destroy the printed word?

• Newspaper wars in the Gulf: Free of Paid

• Circulation audit comes of age

• Editorial integrity - dealing with pressure from advertisers

• Digital media - how to make money online

Balding commented: 'WAN is convinced that this will be another landmark conference in the continuing development of a strong, independent press in the Middle East.'

FIPP chief executive Donald D. Kummerfeld added: 'The Middle East Publishing Conference reflects the growing recognition among both local and foreign publishers that they need to come together to learn and share experience in dealing successfully with the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the robust growth of magazines in the region.'

WAN and FIPP are responsible for the international component of the
conference, that will be attended by more than 300 delegates who will hear from some of the top newspaper executives from the region and around the world.

Speakers from outside the region include: John Cabell, CEO of US-headquartered Cue Ball Media; Fabrizio D'Angelo of Italy's Mondadori publishing house; Marc Sands, (title) of the UK's Guardian newspaper; Eamonn Byrne, strategy director of WAN; and Didier Guerin, president of Media Convergence Asia Pacific, Australia.

The level of speakers is matched by the calibre of attendance - underlining the great success of the event.

More than 60 media and publishing organisations from 52 countries will be represented - including the BBC, National Geographic, Bloomberg News, Emphasis Media from Singapore, Rene AG of Switzerland, Al Wataniya Distribution from Saudi, and VNU from the Netherlands.

The conference will also honour 'lifetime achievement' when awards will be presented to media leaders who have been instrumental in building the Middle East publishing industry.

Three categories will be recognised: newspapers, magazines, and on-line media. Results and names are to be announced during a gala dinner.