Newspaper companies are optimistic about their ability to capture the time and interest of a new generation of readers, no matter what media channel the young prefer, according to a new report from the World Association of Newspapers.

The report from the WAN Shaping the Future of the Newspaper project examines the media habits of young people and provides case studies of how newspaper companies are using editorial strategies, brand-building campaigns and newspapers in education programmes to attract and retain young readers.

The report, available exclusively to WAN members, also includes a survey of newspaper executives and editors on their attitudes and approaches to young readers. The survey of 227 companies found:

- Most newspapers are optimistic that they can attract young readers. More than six out of ten respondents said young readers at primary school levels can be attracted both by the print and electronic platforms.

- Half of the respondents think young people use mobile phones to access news and information more than any other medium, offering new opportunities for newspaper content.

- Newspaper companies are also optimistic that young people find newspaper information highly credible -- they believe what they read in the papers.

Details of the report, "Engaging Young Readers," including an executive summary, can be found at here.

The report was developed by WAN's SFN project to explore the opportunities to reach the young reader, and to understand the content preferences and media usage patterns of the young.
It examines research, strategy and tactics for capturing the elusive youth audience.

"For some newspapers, the key to success is in giving schools low-cost learning materials based on newspaper content. For other newspapers, connecting with young readers means creating a publication targeted to them, giving them a forum in print and online," says the report. "Each newspaper profiled has found a way to give young readers what they were looking for."

While strategies to reach young readers are executed in widely different ways around the world, some common tactics emerge:

- Avoidance of stereotypical portrayals of the young, such as youth as victims;

- Providing tightly focused, highly relevant content for young people;

- Offering young readers an opportunity to contribute journalistically;

- Providing news in credible and relevant ways on media channels young people prefer;

- Focusing on parents and teachers to help encourage more newspaper readership;

- Understanding and providing coverage of important events in the cycle of young people's lives:

- Taking a multi-platform approach to publishing that matches the natural approach youth takes to consuming media.

The SFN reports are available exclusively to WAN members. To learn about the benefits of company membership in WAN, go to www.wan-press.org/membership

For more information about WAN's young readership development activity, visit www.wan-press.org/youngreader

WAN conducts the SFN project with support from five international partners -- PubliGroupe, the Swiss-based international advertising and promotion group; MAN Roland, a leading company for newspaper production systems; UPM-Kymmene, one of the world's leading printing paper producers; Telenor, the leading Norwegian telecommunications, IT and media group; and Atex, the world’s leading provider of content management software and services to the global media industry.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom and the professional and business interests of newspapers world-wide. Representing 18,000 newspapers, its membership includes 77 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 11 regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr