PANPA’s annual conference has fallen victim to economic uncertainty, the traditional three-day event replaced this year by a free ‘one-day summit’, the climax of which will be the gala newspaper of the year presentation dinner. Sponsored by Norske Skog, the Future Forum at the Sydney Masonic Centre in Goulburn Street on September 10 replaces the event which had originally been slated for the Sydney Hilton in early August. Chief executive Mark Hollands says the board decision to replace the traditional conference with a free one-day newspaper and digital summit for members was taken after “a lot of thought and conversation”. “Given the economic downturn and its impact on the industry, including restrictions on budget, time away from the office, and travel, it would be difficult to get a sustainable number of people to the event.” PANPA says the aim is to return to a world-class newspaper conference in 2010. The PANPA website had already indicated that a series of “smaller, more intimate events” would include the one-day summit and newspaper of the year dinner, and other events including an editors’ forum organised with KPMG, which will have its first gathering on June 23. PANPA and Canon are also working on details of a three-town roadshow in regional NSW, while similar events for regionals and independent publishers were being investigated by PANPA and other partners. Speakers from Europe and the USA, as well as local experts are promised at the summit which will cover global and local trends and their implications. There will be best practice guides, and insights from chief executives of PANPA and The Newspaper Works, as well as “leading newspaper executives and thought leaders” from around the region. Deadline for the 2009 Newspaper of the Year awards is July 17, and PANPA promises new and innovative ideas. Criteria have been reviewed to make sure the competition is relevant to current challenges, with the ‘online newspaper of the year’ category replaced by ‘news site of the year’. New ways to enter over the internet will make it easier for entrants and organisers, leading to production of a digital showcase similar to the one published online after the Ad Awards in May. And entry prices have not been increased, says PANPA.