Five new strategy reports on some of the most important recent developments in the newspaper industry globally have just been published by the Shaping the Future of the Newspaper project of the World Association of Newspapers.

The projects says that "the supermarkets want to be the media barons of the 21st century."

The reports, which were released at the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum in Seoul, Korea, focus on how publishers can benefit from the opportunities provided by these developments. The five reports are:

  Circulation Science, which profiles the skills that lead to circulation success: the creative leadership of editors together with the imaginative marketing and operational capability of circulation and commercial staff. The report, which examines every aspect of distributing and marketing the newspaper to readers, applies a scientific approach to successful circulation operations.

  Classified Models Revisited, examines the opportunities for newspaper publishers to defend their classified advertising markets in the face of relentless migration to the internet. It includes the latest research on this migration and shows how publishers can leverage the advantages that newspapers offer advertisers: local branding, strong readership across most generations, contact with traders, reliable reputation, strong marketing capability, in-house resources, in-house sales, content management skills and technology.

  Free Dailies: Past or Future? , which examines the business model for the free daily and the best strategies for paid-for newspapers to pursue when free dailies enter their markets. The report says that the free newspaper model is proving to have a clear ability to capture the attention of audiences and satisfy the needs of an increasing number of advertisers.

  The Format Change Phenomenon, which reveals the lessons learned in the recent wave of tabloid conversions. In addition to the successes, the report examines the pitfalls, looking at what newspapers went through to reassure readers, win over advertisers and ensure efficient production of their newspapers. It includes cases studies of conversions and the results.

  Media Landscapes, which looks beyond advertising at a new beast in the media jungle: the retailer. The supermarkets want to be the media barons of the 21st century. This report looks at the move away from above-the-line advertising to outdoor, online, ambient media, sponsorship, entertainment - and retail.

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