World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) 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.[1] The association was founded in 1948, and, as of 2011, represented more than 18,000 publications globally.[2]

World Association of Newspapers
AbbreviationWAN-IFRA
FormationJune 1948 (1948-06)
TypeINGO
HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
Region served
Worldwide
Official language
English, French, German
Websitewww.wan-ifra.org

WAN's objectives are to defend and to promote freedom of the press,[3] to support the development of newspaper publishing, and to foster global co-operation.[4] It has provided consultation for UNESCO, the United Nations, and the Council of Europe.[5][6]

According to WAN, from 2007 to 2011, global newspaper advertising dropped 41% to $76 billion.[7]

History

The earliest organization that has since become WAN-IFRA was the FIEJ (Federation Internationale des Editeurs de Journaux et Publications, English: International Federation of Newspaper Publishers),[8] 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 worldwide.

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.

In 2007, the organization founded MINDS, Media Information Network (originally Mobile Information and News Data Services for 3G), a nonprofit organization that hosts an annual conference for news organizations and agencies.[9]

In July 2009, the World Association of Newspapers (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). 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.[10]

Identity and mission

WAN-IFRA is a trade association with a human rights mandate.[11] Its first objective is the defence and promotion of press freedom and the economic independence of newspapers. It is also an industry think tank for new strategies, business models, and operational improvements.[10]

Headquarters

WAN-IFRA carries out its work from headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, and in Paris, France, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, and Mexico.[6]

World Editors Forum

The World Editors Forum (WEF) is the organisation for editors within the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.

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.[12]

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.[13]

See also
  • Tomas Brunegård, President of World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

References
  1. Merskin, Debra L. (12 November 2019). The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-1-4833-7552-6.
  2. "Partners". News Media Alliance. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  3. "The Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership expands to include WAN-IFRA as partner, Aspen Institute as supporting partner". Washington Post. 4 January 2021. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021.
  4. "World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)". Devex.
  5. "UNESCO and the World Association of News Publishers join forces to ensure survival of world's media". UNESCO. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  6. "Inquirer president appointed to WAN-Ifra executive board". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 27 September 2020. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020.
  7. "Taxing times". The Economist.
  8. "FIEJ" – via The Free Dictionary.
  9. "India's premier wire service joins global network of news agencies". La Presna Latina. EFE. 28 April 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  10. "About". Wan-Ifra. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  11. Merskin, Debra L. (12 November 2019). The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society. University of Oregon: SAGE Publications. p. 1912. ISBN 978-1-4833-7552-6.
  12. Wan-Ifra. "Press Freedom". Wan-Ifra. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  13. Wan-Ifra. "Journalists Killed". Wan-Ifra. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
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