WAN-Ifra has confirmed Hong Kong as the venue for its 2014 Publish Asia event.

The fourteenth annual conference – under the theme ‘Riding the waves of news media disruption’ – is set for April 23-25. More than 400 newspaper executives from the Asia Pacific and Gulf regions are expected at the three-day event.

It will be the first time it has been held in Hong Kong, chosen as “one of Asia's most exciting and competitive newspaper markets”.

Chairman of the Newspaper Society of Hong Kong Keith Kam says the newspaper industry is undergoing “tremendous changes”.

“Publish Asia is a unique annual networking and learning platform that helps news publishers understand the crucial challenges the industry faces and provides them with insights on turning these challenges into opportunities. We are very pleased that this prestigious event will be held in Hong Kong in 2014."

Chief executive of the South China Morning Post Robin Hu says the biggest challenge is how to navigate a media economy that is being re-priced: “Those who have chosen to innovate, preserve their resources, and build on their people and their products will be able to benefit from growth when the new balance of power in the media economy is reached.

“We are looking forward to listening to case studies from such looking-forward media pioneers at Publish Asia 2014,” says Hu, a member of WAN-Ifra's Asia Pacific committee.

Director of events and publications Gilles Demptos says Hong Kong has seen several new free and paid for print titles launches in recent years and traditional newspapers are aggressively developing the digital side of their businesses: “We trust that the energy and creativity of the Hong Kong's news media scene will inspire and invigorate Publish Asia 2014's delegates from all over Asia,” he says.

The event covers management, advertising and editorial aspects of the newspapers and news publishing business. It will include the following events:



• The CEO Conference will look at how the media landscape is changing and how publishers can adapt and define their strategies to ensure a successful future.



• The Newsroom Summit will tackle the problems and challenges facing editors, managing editors, news editors, chief reporters and all those who are involved in leading and managing newsrooms in a multiple media environment.



• The Advertising Summit aims to cover the latest trends that are currently transforming the relationship between media companies, advertisers and agencies.

An Expo will showcase latest technology and service offerings for optimising newspaper production on print as well as on new media platforms, while one-day learning seminars will offer in-depth insights on specific topics.



Winners of the 2014 Asia Media Awards – entries for which close on January 31 – will receive their prizes during a gala dinner on April 24. More information at http://www.wan-ifra.org/ama

• Homepage picture from this year’s Reef/Xgame Hong Kong surf cup