International Multimedia News Lab Launched in Prague
05/25/2009
WAN is PPF’s founding partner in this landmark project, which focuses on the challenges facing the newspaper industry from the financial crisis and competition from new methods and multiple channels of communication. FUTUROOM is part of a larger PPF Media project in the area of hyperlocal news, both print and online, which is soon to be launched in the Czech Republic.
Through the World Editors Forum (WEF), WAN will provide advisory and consulting services, as well as top speakers for FUTUROOM conferences, seminars and masterclasses.
The first conference, entitled, “Brave new world: media and businesses facing the crisis", is to take place at FUTUROOM on May 26th.
FUTUROOM, the multimedia news lab in PPF’s Prague premises, will offer media education and training aimed at local news reporting and modern day journalism in a purpose built newsroom that features advanced technologies.
PPF partners also include Google and Atex, which will provide technology, know-how and best practices for editorial software and web-focused tools.
“We are very proud to be participating in the creation of a sophisticated, converged newsroom based in the centre of Europe, with ambitions to address a broader CEE and CIS region with its educational programmes and practical examples of modern journalism,” said Bertrand Pecquerie, the Director of the World Editors Forum.
“As a global supplier to the media industry, ATEX is really excited to participate in this new venture aimed at training the next generation of multimedia journalists. We see enormous opportunities for the media industry in Central and Eastern Europe and a project such as this will boost initiatives in the region”, said David Hall, Regional CEO of Atex. “Futuroom will provide an example of a completely re-invented business model for the media industry where agility, innovation and a deep understanding of the changing ways people consume media is the key to success”
Roman Gallo, PPF’s director for media strategies, said: “FUTUROOM is designed to be a centrepiece of new media education and training but also a central editorial office for the PPF Media project of print and online publications named Our Address. We are excited to launch this modern newsroom with a great team of professionals. Last but not least: FUTUROOM and Our Address will approach the recent media challenges in a very effective way, representing a low cost solution for journalism at hyperlocal level by adapting the most efficient technologies and tools to regional media houses and interpersonal communication.“
The Paris-based World Editors Forum (http://www.worldeditorsforum.org) is the organisation of the World Association of Newspapers that represents editors-in-chief and other senior news executives. WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 76 national newspaper associations, newspapers and newspaper executives in 122 countries, 12 news agencies and ten regional and world-wide press groups.

Attachments
Futuroom (picture in the print quality to download)