President

Fernando de Yarza López-Madrazo

Fernando de Yarza is the President of Henneo, a news media group that includes 20 minutes and Heraldo de Aragon (Saragossa, Spain).

Fernando de Yarza is member of the board and the executive committee of Vocento, the leading general interest news publisher in Spain (ABC, and eleven regional newspapers including El Correo).

He is Chairman of Taller de Editores, Spanish largest magazine publisher; President of the Association of European Publishers News Media Europe (NME) and a Vice-President at the Spanish Asociacón de Medios de Información (AMI).

Fernando de Yarza López-Madrazo was elected President of WAN-IFRA in June 2019.


Past Presidents 1948-2019

Michael GOLDEN Vice Chairman of the Board The New York Times Company, USA, President WAN-IFRA 2017-2019.

Tomas  BRUNEGARD CEO Stampen Group, Sweden, President WAN-IFRA 2013-2017.

Jacob MATTHEW Executive Editor Malayala Manorama Company Ltd, India, President WAN-IFRA 2011-2013.

Horst PIRKER CEO Styria Medien AG, Austria, President IFRA 2006-2009.

Gavin O’REILLY Group Chief Executive Officer Independent News and Media PLC, Ireland, President WAN 2005-2011.

Willem O. KOK CEO De Telegraaf Holdingmaatschappij nv, The Netherlands, President IFRA 2003-2006.

Dr. Seok Hyung HONG Chairman and CEO JoongAng Media Network, Republic of Korea, President WAN 2004-2005.

Roger P. PARKINSON Chairman, The Globe and Mail, Canada, President WAN 2000-2004.

Bengt BRAUN President Bonnier, Sweden, President WAN 1998-2000.

Jayme SIROTSKY Chairman of the Board RBS Zero Hora, Brazil, President FIEJ 1996-1998.

Murdoch MACLENNAN Managing Director Associated Newspapers, Great Britain, President IFRA 1997-2003.

Prescott LOW Chairman and publisher The Patriot Ledger, USA, President FIEJ 1992-1996.

Michael RINGIER Chairman Ringier, Switzerland, President IFRA 1993-1997.

Jan J. NOUWEN Managing Director Haagsche Courant, The Netherlands, President FIEJ 1990-1992.

José Maria BERGARECHE Director Gerente El Correo Espanol, Spain, President IFRA 1989-1993.

Giovanni GIOVANNINI President Ansa, Italy, President FIEJ 1988-1990.

Odd RÖNNESTAD Managing Director Bergens Tidende, Norway, President IFRA 1985-1988.

Sir J. Gordon LINACRE Managing Director Yorkshire Post Newspapers, Great Britain, President FIEJ 1984-1988.

Jacques SAINT CRICQ Chairman of the Board, La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest, France, President IFRA 1981-1985.

Frans VINK Publisher Het Laatste Nieuws, Belgium, President FIEJ 1980-1984.

Harold W. ANDERSEN Publisher Omaha World-Herald, USA, President FIEJ 1978-1980.

Gustaf DOUGLAS Managing Director Dagens Nyheter, Sweden, President IFRA 1977-1981.

Sir J. Gordon LINACRE Managing Director Yorkshire Post Newspapers, Great Britain, President IFRA 1973-1977.

Willem G. PLUYGERS General Director Nederlandse Dagbladunie, The Netherlands, President INCA/IFRA 1969-1973.

Claude BELLANGER Managing Director and co-founder , Le Parisien Libéré, France, President FIEJ 1962-1978.

Dr. Walter MATUSCHKE Industrial Manager, Axel Springer Verlag, Germany, President INCA 1961-1969.

Tommaso ASTARITA, President, Federazione Italiana Editori Giornali, Italy, President FIEJ, 1954-1962.

W. T. CURTIS-WILSON President Newspaper Society, Great Britain, President FIEJ 1952-1954.

Johan VAN DE KIEFT President Nederlandsche Dagbalders, The Netherlands, President FIEJ 1948-1952

 


“The need to create an international press Federation became clear because press everywhere holds, beyond its national mission, an international cause. In every country, the role of the newspaper is to reliably inform, frankly discuss, and maintain a sense of community within society. But the press must also work to strengthen a worldwide peace based on justice. Accordingly, a free press peacefully holds the same fight as free citizens…”

ALBERT BAYET, President French Publishers’ Federation, FIEJ Congress, Paris June 1948.

 

WAN-IFRA’s Legacy

 

WAN alongside IFRA

 

WAN (then FIEJ) was founded in uncertain times. At the end of the Second World War, the newspaper industries of the belligerent nations lay, in some cases, in ruins, in other cases deprived of the means to re-establish their independence and economic viability. The founders of FIEJ set out with the triple objective of seeking international commitments and guarantees to safeguard freedom of expression, of ensuring the renewed availability of the means of newspaper production, and of creating a new dialogue and exchange of information and ideas between representatives of the newspaper community world-wide.

 

IFRA (then INCA) was established in 1961 to uphold newspaper printing technology at its high level and to promote further development to the greatest possible extent through the mutual exchange of experience and jointly financed research projects. INCA’s founders aspired to create an association where prevails “a frankness, honesty and earnest desire for progress and co-operation, where technical and commercial experiences are freely exchanged and where feelings and consideration of competition are forgotten.”

 

In 2009, the two associations merged to create WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers. Read more.

 

We owe to Claude Bellanger what brings us together today (2018)

 

The past thirty years 1948-1978 by Claude Bellanger (FIEJ Bulletin, 1978)

 

The first three decades of FIEJ (Michel L. de St-Pierre, 1978)

 

The aims and functions of INCA (Newspaper Production Journal, 1961)