Over three days, more than 1,000 publishers, editors, and CEOs from over 60 countries are expected to attend. Following last year's congress in Krakow, this event is anticipated to be a major international platform for discussing strategies, technologies, and revenue models that will shape the future of the global media industry.
This year, AI has been elevated to a central theme of the event. WAN-IFRA has introduced a dedicated track titled "AI in Media," alongside two other key topics: "Future of Journalism" and "Revenue & Growth."
Industry experts believe that generative AI is transforming the entire news production process, from content creation and distribution to revenue generation and audience engagement.
The rise of AI as a focal point in the news industry can be traced back to the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022, which marked a pivotal moment. Since then, generative AI has rapidly become a significant factor impacting the entire media ecosystem, from news production to search and consumption environments.
One of the most immediate effects has been a decline in search traffic. According to digital analytics firm Similarweb, global traffic to major news sites dropped by approximately 26% in the year following Google's introduction of its AI search summary feature, "AI Overviews." Some media outlets have reported search traffic declines exceeding 90%, raising concerns about the sustainability of digital advertising revenue models that heavily rely on search.
The conflict over content acquisition between media companies and big tech firms has also intensified. In December 2023, The New York Times filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, prompting similar legal disputes in Canada, India, and Denmark. Conversely, organizations like the Associated Press, Axel Springer, and News Corp have opted for collaborative models by signing content licensing agreements with OpenAI.
In its recent annual report, WAN-IFRA identified AI as a "defining pillar" of its activities. The "Newsroom AI Catalyst" program, co-managed with OpenAI, currently involves 145 newsrooms worldwide.
This shift marks a departure from previous congress themes. Last year's Krakow congress focused on "Mastering Media's New Playbook," addressing AI as part of discussions on data strategy, trust restoration, and digital transformation. The upcoming 2024 congress in Copenhagen will also emphasize AI's role in shaping the future of news media, but will approach it as one element of digital innovation.
In contrast, this year's congress highlights AI as an independent strategic agenda, signaling a significant transition for the news industry into the generative AI era.
At the congress, Aju Media will showcase examples of newsroom innovation and global expansion utilizing AI. The company is redesigning the entire news production process, including article creation, translation, video production, and multilingual platform management, based on AI. They plan to share strategies for newsroom innovation and revenue growth, drawing on their experience operating services in five languages, including Korean and English.
The congress theme is "Rising Voices, Emerging Risks, Inspiring Futures." WAN-IFRA explained that it aims to explore new opportunities and sustainable futures amid the simultaneous challenges of AI proliferation, increasing platform dependency, declining news credibility, and evolving business models.
The choice of Marseille as the host city carries symbolic significance. Founded around 600 B.C., Marseille is France's oldest city and the largest port city in the Mediterranean, serving as a gateway connecting Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
WAN-IFRA described the selection of Marseille as a choice to highlight "new voices emerging from traditional centers of power."
The congress will take place at the Palais du Pharo, a 19th-century palace built by Napoleon III. Co-hosts include BFM TV, RMC Radio, and the regional daily newspaper La Provence, all part of the French media group CMA Media.
The World News Media Congress, established in 1948, began with the founding congress of its predecessor, FIEJ, where delegates were invited to the Élysée Palace in Paris. Since then, it has been held in major cities around the world, including Seoul, Cape Town, Taipei, Istanbul, Moscow, and Hong Kong.
Currently, WAN-IFRA represents over 3,000 news organizations and 60 publisher associations across 120 countries, making it the largest association of news publishers globally, representing approximately 18,000 media outlets.
In addition to the main sessions, the congress will feature pre-congress deep dives on technology, business, content, and innovation, as well as table talks on media sustainability, revenue diversification, the future of print newspapers, and the news creator ecosystem.
All sessions will be conducted in English, with real-time translation services available in over 50 languages powered by AI.
During the event, WAN-IFRA will also hold the prestigious "Golden Pen of Freedom" awards ceremony and the Digital Media Awards Worldwide. Notably, the Digital Media Awards have recently introduced categories for "Best Use of AI in Newsrooms" and "Best Use of AI in Revenue Strategies," reflecting the growing importance of AI competitiveness as a key evaluation criterion.
Following the congress, a post-training program will be held on June 4-5, allowing participants to visit major media outlets in Paris.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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