Printed newspapers are still a source of unexpected delight for newly-appointed WAN-Ifra chief executive Vincent Peyrègne.
In an interview with ppi Media, he says that while he uses paper, mobile and internet, print can be “the perfect place where one can always be surprised, discovering unexpected stories”.
Peyrègne says he reads news to either look at specific information updates – mainly political and business based on a set of trustful preselected sources – or to discover cultural and entertaining features, “gleaning from one to another source”.
“In the first case, I use both paper, mobile and Internet, for the complete perspective cross media can provide on complex issues.”
Discovering unexpected stories is a real pleasure which “can only be satisfied by print... mainly very early, or on Saturday morning,” he says.
Asked where he sees the publishing industry in three years, he suggests more time may be needed for “a complete and deep turn around” in news publishing and consumption.
“The accelerating factor will be how advertisers and media agencies will finally behave, rationally or irrationally. If you refer to the basic and core business of news publishing which is delivering relevant news to the relevant audience, the future will depend on which publishing activities you refer to.
“There are many possible answers depending on news audiences, communities and markets you serve as a publisher. There will be obviously a more strict segmentation of markets, not anymore mainly based on geographical but on community engagement capabilities.
“What we experience today is I believe nothing new to news players, it's an acceleration of history encouraged by disruptors which until now did not have access to the market considering various barriers (momentum, tech implementation, ecosystem, business model barriers).
“To address the challenges of a growing competition and increasing expectations or requirements of the audience, publishers will need to reconsider the values of their engagement with their communities and will hopefully reallocate resources within their operations, focusing on innovation and usage. It's a risky but also an exciting period.”
He says WAN-Ifra is “an enabler, a facilitator” and will help innovation happen, encouraging “inevitable adaptations” of the industry to new consumption patterns, and makes sure this happen in an ecosystem which preserves independence of news publishers and freedom of expression.
“I want to show the value of a collective the challenges we face by creating a solution driven platform where publishers, technology suppliers, media stakeholders can connect, share knowledge and grow the business of news publishing,” he says.