The Ifra eNews Initiative

Responding to the emerging mobile e-reading market

eNews is a unique cross-disciplinary three year initiative, set up by Ifra, in response to the emerging mobile e-reading media market. In the project, Ifra partners with 20 of the world’s major publishing houses and a number of leading technology developers.

The project is about creating business opportunities based on early consumer behaviour in an emerging mobile e-reading world. Ifra and our partners are establishing a world first initiative, eNews, to be able to meet the new and changing needs of consumers, to create and sustain business, take control and adapt to new technology.

The project will allow its members to be proactive in responding to the needs of a mobile generation. Furthermore, by joining forces, the participants have an opportunity to act as a powerful lobby group vis-à-vis technology and service providers in the area of mobile e-reading.

The eNews project will run through 2008, during which time activities will include seminars, study tours and commissioning of consumer research.

Deliverables – Project Outcomes

The project activities will lead to outcomes, including:

* Identifying investment strategies for e-reading
* Providing a faster learning curve in new business and technology
* Allow preparation for the future, rather than prophecy
* Identifying how to develop strong and profitable products within mobile e-reading
* Identifying new business models for increased revenues
* Create impact on the development within mobile news, both internally and externally
* Identifying needs for achieving transparency and thereby making recommendations for business and technology standards
* Providing a lobbying force

eNews Project members

The eNews project will be a leading meeting place and information hub, and is very much about members networking, sharing and taking advantage of the experiences of other publishers, not in direct competition. The weight of the participating publishing houses also means the group will be able to act as a significant lobby group. The project members are all top players in media convergence globally.

Publishing members
Bonnier/Expressen (SE), De Telegraaf (NL), Edipresse (CH), El País (ES), Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH & Co. (DE), Libération (FR), New York Times Company (US), Nordjyske Medier (DK), Orkla Media (NO), Rheinische Post (DE), Sanoma Corp. (FI), Schibsted/Aftonbladet (NO/SE), Stampen/Göteborgs-Posten (SE), Styria Medien (AT), TA Media (CH), Telegraph Group (UK), Tribune Interactive (US), Vorarlberger Zeitungsverlag und Druckerei (AT), Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (DE), Yomiuri Shimbun (JP).

Technology members
Arena Partners (FI), iRex Technologies (NL), Escenic (NO), Plastic Logic Limited (UK).

Project manager is Dr Stig Nordqvist, tel +46 8 692 46 35, nordqvist@ifra.com

For more information please see the Ifra web site.