Screen drives digital newspapers at PANPA

Workshop at next week’s PANPA conference shows how digital can make a difference to newspapers.

Dainippon Screen is conducting one of only four workshops on day two of next week’s PANPA (Newspaper Publishers Association) Forum in Sydney

“Our aim is to debunk some of the myths surrounding the production of digital newspapers and, with a realistic view, position this technology as an extension of existing production methods, definitely not a replacement,” said workshop co-presenter, Peter Scott, of Screen Australia.

“Digitally-produced newspapers are more of a marketing opportunity than a threat to offset or flexo. It’s new media both from a distribute-then-print model and a targeted variable-data perspective.”

Scott added that 500 digitally printed newspapers have been flown in for PANPA delegates. These were printed by Atlas Printing of Dubai, where their Screen Truepress Jet520 digital press prints several international titles during the night, for delivery to the expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates.

“In some cases, readers in Dubai are getting their news before their home-based compatriots. PDF files for, say the UK Daily Mail are received between 2 and 3 am and production is completed by 4:30am, Dubai time,” Scott added.

Screen’s workshop takes place on Friday 27th August at 3pm.