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Newspapers that take their classified advertising onto the web do not lose
print revenues. That is just one of the findings in a major new study of on-line classifieds that will be presented to participants at the 54th World Newspaper Congress and 8th World Editors Forum, the global meetings of the world's press that will be held in Hong Kong from 3 to 6 June.

Newspapers that take their classified advertising onto the web do not lose
print revenues.

That is just one of the findings in a major new study of on-line classifieds
that will be presented to participants at the 54th World Newspaper Congress
and 8th World Editors Forum, the global meetings of the world's press that
will be held in Hong Kong from 3 to 6 June.

The study undertaken by the Innovation International Media Consulting Group
for the World Association of Newspapers also predicts that, for the
foreseeable future, print classified will remain a mainstay of the
newspapers' business and should not be neglected as management attention
shifts to the internet.

"This report is based on the experience of newspapers in10 countries
operating in a wide variety of markets. All of them sell classified
advertising on the web, and none of them reports that the print business has
suffered as a result," said Timothy Balding, the Director General of the
Paris-based WAN.

"These experiences contradict some predictions that newspapers would have to
'kiss their classifieds goodbye,'" said Mr Balding. "Newspapers are
optimistic about the future of web and print classifieds -- they believe the
combination clearly produces added value for customers." The report explores
how they are managing their web sites, selling web classifieds and other key
strategic issues.

The on-line classified study is part of "Innovations in Newspapers," the
global report prepared for WAN each year by Innovations International that
has become a standard reference for developments in the newspaper industry.
Topics in this year's edition include media convergence; the growth of
"popular" newspapers that are avoiding stories about sex and violence; news
agencies in the digital world; and many others.

The book will be the subject of a major presentation at the WAN Congress and
Forum, which is expected to draw more than 1,000 publishers, managing
directors, editors and other senior executives to Hong Kong (Editors note:
Further information on the Hong Kong events, together with the full
programmes, the participation list and the registration options, can be
found on the WAN web-site at www.wan-press.org or by contacting
[email protected]).

The Innovations report is produced with the help of the WAN READY project,
which is dedicated to shaping the future of the newspaper and is supported
by PubliGoupe, WRH Marketing, TELIA, MAN Roland, UPM-Kymmene and Unisys.

Other Congress highlights include:

-- A presentation by McKinsey and co, the renowned management consultants,
on opportunities available to newspaper companies to grow revenues and
stabilise costs. They will explore a range of issues including leveraging
intangible assets like customer relations, marketing power and brand name
into business opportunities.

-- Mathias Döpfner, who at 37 was recently designated Chairman of the Board
of the giant Axel Springer Group from 1 January 2002, will give his vision
of how newspaper companies must 'reinvent' themselves in the multiple media
age. The Springer Group publishes Bild Zeitung, one of the world's largest
selling dailies.

-- Tony Ridder, the Chairman and CEO of the Knight Ridder newspaper group,
the second largest in the United States, will give his insights into the
group's strategies, three years after moving its corporate headquarters from
Miami to Silicon Valley to take advantage of the technological revolution.

-- The annual WAN survey of world trends in the newspaper industry,
including the latest information on global developments in newspaper
circulation and advertising sales.

-- A presentation on the experiences of the Prisa group, one of Spain's
leading media companies, which publishes the country's biggest selling
daily, El País and owns pay TV, radio and digital publishing operations.
Juan Luis Cebrian, Managing Director of Grupo Prisa, will explain why the
newspaper El País will continue to drive the success of the group.

-- Case studies on 'reinventing' the newspaper business by Takuhiko Tsuruta,
President & CEO of Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the giant Japanese financial daily;
and Eugene Abov, Deputy Director General of the Prof Media group in Russia,
which controls more than 50 media companies all over the country.

Members of the Host Committee for the Congress and Forum are: Joy-Shan Lam,
Managing Director, Hong Kong Economic Journal; Kin-ming Liu, General
Manager, Apple Daily; Andrew Lynch, Editor, Hong Kong iMail; Nigel Oakins,
Publisher and Executive Director, Hong Kong iMail; Cyril D. Pereira,
Director, Newspaper Operations, South China Morning Post; Philip Revzin,
Publisher, Asian Wall Street Journal; Francis K.C. Tiong, Executive
Director, Ming Pao Enterprise Corporation; and Randy Weddle, Acting Managing
Director, Asia/Pacific, International Herald Tribune.

The Congress and Forum will enjoy the sponsorship of: Apple Daily, The Hong
Kong SAR Government, The Hong Kong Tourist Association, The Hong Kong
Economic Journal, The Hong Kong iMail, International Herald Tribune, Ming
Pao Enterprise Corporation, Sing Tao Holdings, the South China Morning Post
and Swire & Sons. The events are supported by The Society of Publishers in
Asia and the partners of the WAN READY Project: PubliGoupe, WRH Marketing,
TELIA, MAN Roland, UPM-Kymmene and Unisys.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry,
defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 17,000
newspapers; its membership includes 67 national newspaper associations,
individual newspaper executives in 93 countries, 17 news agencies and eight
regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 25 rue
d'Astorg, 75008 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49
48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: [email protected].

---
Larry Kilman
Director of Communications
World Association of Newspapers
25, rue d'Astorg
75008 Paris France
Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00
Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit our web site at www.wan-press.org
[email protected]