I'm flying to Barcelona this morning to attend an International Newspaper Marketing Association (INMA) conference. This isn't my kind of gig, so I wouldn't normally bother. But we're at such an interesting point in the communications revolution I want to hear what a collection of senior editorial, marketing and managerial executives drawn from across the world's traditional media (ie, printed newspapers) think about the future.
INMA, with more than 1,000 members in 70 countries, has come up with an interesting programme too. I'm particularly looking forward to those sessions that deal with the relationship between print and online. There are also a couple of hours devoted to free and lite newspapers - including a talk by City AM ceo Jens Torpe - and a session entitled <>b>The underestimated power of sport in newspapers. Sport rarely gets a look-in at these international meetings, so this is a welcome development. The speakers include Liverpool fan Mark Challinor, the former Associated Newspapers promotions manager who now runs a mobile telephony consultancy, and Ken Rogers, executive editor of Trinity Mirror's Liverpool-based sports unit who supported Everton as a boy but now regards himself as an impartial observer.
Another anticipated highlight is a talk by Sharon Douglas, marketing director of National Magazines (publisher of Cosmo and Esquire), on what newspapers can learn from magazines, followed by a look at the way in which local papers have moved into magazine publishing.
Yes, I know it could be unutterably boring, but I'm living in hope. And, of course, there are the tapas bars...
