His presentation will explain how newspapers share some universal characteristics such as strong brands, customer loyalty and high levels of market reach.

How to extend these attributes into digital media will be tackled at the 61st World Newspaper Congress, to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, in June.

Johnston Press chief executive Tim Bowdler said: "On demand, user-generated, mashed-up, recommended, socially-networked media has come a long way since the early days of print."

He explained that while rapid digital developments offer well-known challenges, they also allow newspaper executives to transform their businesses into "community media companies with a range of channels which extend well beyond text and pictures to include audio and video content, becoming truly multimedia businesses".

"The foundation stone of our businesses remains our strong community links based on the strength of our print brands together with our audience and advertiser relationships.

"Building on this strong foundation, newspaper publishers are entirely capable of surviving and thriving in today's rapidly changing media environment. The opportunities lie in the very threats which confront us.

"If we grasp them, we will continue to be leading media businesses for many years to come."

Johnston Press publishes 18 daily newspapers, 291 weekly newspapers, a range of related specialist, locally-focussed print publications as well as 317 local websites.

The Congress, the World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo, the annual summit of the world's press, are expected to draw more than 1,500 publishers, chief editors, CEOs, managing directors and other senior newspaper executives and their guests to Sweden in June.

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