International Multimedia News Lab Launched in Prague

May 25, 2009

Prague, Czech Republic, 25 May 2009 - Representatives of World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and PPF Group have launched the International Multimedia News Lab in Prague. The training and educational centre, combined, with the editorial house, is called FUTUROOM - newsroom of the future.

WAN is PPF′s founding partner in this landmark project, which focuses on the challenges facing the newspaper industry from the financial crisis and competition from new methods and multiple channels of communication. FUTUROOM is part of a larger PPF Media project in the area of hyperlocal news, both print and online, which is soon to be launched in the Czech Republic.

Through the World Editors Forum (WEF), WAN will provide advisory and consulting services, as well as top speakers for FUTUROOM conferences, seminars and masterclasses. The first conference, entitled, "Brave new world: media and businesses facing the crisis", is to take place at FUTUROOM on May 26th.

FUTUROOM, the multimedia news lab in PPF′s Prague premises, will offer media education and training aimed at local news reporting and modern day journalism in a purpose built newsroom that features advanced technologies. PPF partners also include Google and Atex, which will provide technology, know-how and best practices for editorial software and web-focused tools.

"We are very proud to be participating in the creation of a sophisticated, converged newsroom based in the centre of Europe, with ambitions to address a broader CEE and CIS region with its educational programmes and practical examples of modern journalism," said Bertrand Pecquerie, the Director of the World Editors Forum.

Roman Gallo, PPF′s director for media strategies, said: "FUTUROOM is designed to be a centrepiece of new media education and training but also a central editorial office for the PPF Media project of print and online publications named Our Address. We are excited to launch this modern newsroom with a great team of professionals. Last but not least: FUTUROOM and Our Address will approach the recent media challenges in a very effective way, representing a low cost solution for journalism at hyperlocal level by adapting the most efficient technologies and tools to regional media houses and interpersonal communication."

The Paris-based World Editors Forum (www.worldeditorsforum.org) is the organisation of the World Association of Newspapers that represents editors-in-chief and other senior news executives. WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 76 national newspaper associations, newspapers and newspaper executives in 122 countries, 12 news agencies and ten regional and world-wide press groups.



For more information contact:
Larry Kilman
Director of Communications and Public Affairs
World Association of Newspapers (WAN)
Phone: +33 1 47 42 85 00
Cell: +33 6 10 28 97 36
Email: lkilman@wan.asso.fr
Website: www.wan-press.org

Subject Headings and Related Resources:

• Associations
• Journalism
• Media Associations
• News Coverage
• Newspapers
• Publishing Associations