World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations, and many individual newspaper executives in 100 countries. The association was founded in 1948, and, as of 2011, represented more than 18,000 publications globally.

WAN's objectives are to defend and to promote freedom of the press, to support the development of newspaper publishing, and to foster global co-operation. It has provided consultation for UNESCO, the United Nations, and the Council of Europe.

In July 2009, WAN merged with IFRA, the research and service organisation for the news publishing industry, to become the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).^[1]

According to WAN, from 2007 to 2011, global newspaper advertising dropped 41% to $76 billion.^[2]

History

The earliest organization that has since become WAN-IFRA was FIEJ, the international federation of newspaper editors founded in 1948 by survivors of the clandestine press of France and the Netherlands to fight for survival of a free press worldside.

IFRA's origins emerged from INCA (International Newspaper Colour Association), founded in 1961 when European publishers began to introduce the use of colour in newspapers; it was the world's leading association for newspaper and media publishing. In 1970, it became IFRA (the INCA FIEJ Research Association) to treat the rapidly developing technical side of the publishing industry.

On 1 July 2009, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and IFRA merged into a new organization: the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). The two organisations had been discussing a merger, on and off, for more than five years, and had built up several similar products and services and had an increasing overlap in membership.

Identity and mission

WAN-IFRA is a trade association with a human rights mandate. Its first objective is the defence and promotion of press freedom and the economic independence of newspapers, which is an essential condition to that freedom. It is also an industry think tank for new strategies, business models, and operational improvements.^[1]

WAN-IFRA's stated mission is: "To be the indispensable partner of newspapers and the entire news publishing industry worldwide, particularly our members, in the defence and promotion of press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses and technology."^[1]

Headquarters

WAN-IFRA carries out its work from headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, and in Paris, France, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, Spain, France, and Sweden.^[1]

World Editors Forum

The World Editors Forum (WEF) is the organisation for editors within the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers. It is a network dedicated to bringing together editors from around the world to share ideas, experiences, and research on how to face the challenges of the future. Its main missions are to represent these editors, to defend editorial excellence, to provide editorial services, and to define the future of journalism. The WEF is also involved in defending free speech and promoting the right of the public to truthful information.

Golden Pen of Freedom Award

WAN administers the annual Golden Pen of Freedom Award to recognize a journalist or media organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of freedom of the press.^[3]

Monitoring journalists killed

Since 1998, WAN has maintained annual tallies of media employees killed around the world. The worst year on record is 2006, when 110 media employees died in the line of duty.^[4]

References

External links

• Official website