By Akash Raha

The FIPP’s 38th World Magazine Congress is only three days away and is going to be held for the first time in India. Approximately 600 delegates from 50 countries (including India) will be attending this event. The conference will be held from 10-12 October, 2011 at New Delhi,and the biggest names of the media and advertising fraternity, from India and internationally, will be present at this event.

Chris Llewellyn, President and CEO FIPP, UK, speaking on WMC India edition to MxM India said “The World Magazine Congress is FIPP’s most iconic event, gathering together the great and the good from our industry and is always special. Being held in India for the first ever time is a wonderful endorsement of how the market for magazine media is developing in this country and I’m looking forward to some great interaction between the local and international publishers. More generally, being able to understand how to balance the array of opportunities that new digital platforms bring together with the many strengths of the traditional magazine is the obsession of the magazine media world, and I’m sure that our New Delhi Congress will provide real insight and guidance as to what’s working, where, and why.”

In a conversation with MxM India Mr Mitrajit Bhattacharya, General Secretary, AIM said, “We have a huge number of delegates coming in from all over the world; from the far-east, from Europe, from America. So I think, this is going to be one of the most successful World Magazine Congress in the last decade or so. India is the toast of the world for anything and there is a lot of interests for delegates to attend the WMC 2011.”

When asked if business transactions can be expected in the WMC Mr Bhattacharya added, “I think there is a large amount of work which is happening in the digital space, and there is a lot of business which could be driven in that area in the World Magazine Congress with the magazine publishers of India. So there would be a definite angle of business in World Magazine Congress and I know that publishers are already full with the dates in their calendar with meetings with international delegates. There is a very nice appointment dairy that we have offered to every delegate and that is getting full for many publishers. So there will definitely be business transactions in the World Magazine Congress.”

The World Magazine Congress will begin with the opening address by Mr Aroon Purie, Chairman of FIPP, and Chairman and Editor in Chief, India Today; Mr Chris Llewellyn, President and CEO, FIPP and Mr Jussi Pesonen, CEO, UPM. This will be followed by an interaction with Mr Shahrukh Khan, who will talk about ‘My Tryst with Magazines’.

The next two days will be packed with speakers of renown from across the globe. The key note address on the second day will be given by Ms Ambika Soni, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, India.

The Congress’ theme for this year is ‘The 360-degree Opportunity’. The congress will showcase various innovation and means to success in today’s dynamic market. The conference agenda contains some of the world’s biggest media names, giving their own personal insights. In addition, the 2011 Congress will incorporate a large commercial exhibition, providing the opportunity for delegates to learn about new products, developments and opportunities in a highly-charged business environment.

India is an essential market as it has 73,000 magazines, including weeklies, fortnightlies and monthlies. The market is dominated by Hindi and regional publications. About 34 percent of the overall magazine industry publications are in Hindi, followed by English publications accounting for 13 percent of the total pie. The remaining 53 percent of the market comprises regional languages such as Marathi, Bengali, Tamil and Telugu.

FIPP’s World Magazine Congress is by far the biggest magazine event that is organized across the globe which brings forth magazine publishers and business media providers from across the globe. The biennial Congress has taken place in many different locations over the years, including United Kingdom, London (2009), Beijing, China (2007), New York, USA (2005), Paris, France (2003), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina (2001) and Hamburg, Germany (1999).

For more information: www.fippindia11.com