Indian Printers Summit discusses the future of newspapers

During his welcome speech on day one, KN Shanth Kumar, director of The Printers (Mysore) and member of the board, Wan-Ifra, urged news publishers to adapt to new realities, find niches and make changes. 

Adtian Haack, director, Kondrad Adenauer Foundation, delivered the opening address and said that journalism has become fast-paced and it is important for traditional media to maintain its position as the trusted news source. 

The keynote speech for the event was given by Mohit Jain, board member and executive director at Bennett Coleman and Co. With the media industry using digital media as a way to report their news, he spoke on the future of print media in the digital world and why it might still sustain in the longer run by leveraging its credibility as a news bearer. 

Apart from getting the opportunity to interact with fellow participants and speakers, the first day ended on high note as the winners of the International Colour Quality Club (ICQC) were recognised. 

Day two of the conference saw discussions around key topics of the industry, such as supply chain management and digital printing of newspapers. 

The second day’s session was kickstarted with a deep dive into the global newsprint supply trends by Paula Smith, sales director, Copap and Satish Chandra Mishra, director, Jagran Prakashan. They highlighted the challenges faced and the way forward for the industry. 

A panel discussion chaired by Snehasis C Roy, director, technical, Bennett Coleman Co, touched upon the different ways in which publishers and suppliers could manage their resources. 

The next speaker, Amit Khurana, COO, newspaper group, TechNova, was upbeat about the print industry’s future and advocated for customisation and personalisation in newspapers. 

The day concluded with a panel discussion on successful innovations and new ways of operating in print publishing.