STM, media and academic experts to discuss ‘winning strategies’ at e-Publishing Innovative Forum

As the current economic downturn challenges business sustainability, the e-Publishing Innovative Forum 2009 intends to demonstrate “winning strategies to enhance profit margins and make business recession proof”. In its second year, the forum will be addressed by a panel of industry veterans discussing how to generate new revenue streams, retain communities and drive online publishing and content management.

The two-day forum to be held on 19 and 20 May in London will bring together experts from publishers in media, STM and academic markets such as David Craig, chief strategy officer of Thomson Reuters; Dame Wendy Hall from Southampton University; David Worlock, chief research fellow, Outsell; Neil Thackray, Thackray Media and Tim Weller, group chief executive, Incisive Media among others.

Aimed at information professionals from publishers in the categories such as B2B, STM, scholarly and news, the forum will discuss digital publishing strategies, evolving from standard advertising model and using mobile technologies effectively. It will also see experts from companies including Outsell, Thackray Media and Incisive Media debating whether publishers will still exist in ten years time.

Craig and Wendy-Hall will focus on customer driven strategies and the value in the semantic web and how best it can be leveraged to drive markets forward. Publishers such as The Economist Group, Landmark, Reed Business Search, Yellow Pages and The Telegraph Media Group will offer case studies and advice covering new publisher platforms and integrating workflow tools; vertical search, transferal of content to the mobile space; and the practicalities of digital publishing.

The second day sessions focus on monetising vertical search, and the opportunities presented by semantic and mobile technologies. Speakers will analyse the role of technologies such as Twitter, Facebook and mySpace in driving traffic, sales and building valued communities. Ashley Freidlein, EConsultancy, David Wormald, Mark Logic Corporation and Jonathan MacDonald of OgilivyOne will discuss the extent to which content access and delivery should be integrated into these applications.

The first e-Publishing forum held in 2008 addressed issues such as the disruptions caused by new technology, changing user expectations and low barriers to entry. It also held debates on the old media vs. new media, which areas and how much investment and whether the revenue streams from new media equal or surpass traditional approaches.

For more information and details on the full programme, please visit www.epublishing-forum.com.