News industry analyst and author Ken Doctor has joined the roster for the 2012 PANPA Future Forum in Sydney (September 6-7).

The author of recently-published ‘Newsonomics: Twelve new trends that will shape the news you get’, he has established a reputation for his insights into the future of newspaper businesses and his hard-hitting presentation style.

Doctor spent 21 years with Knight Ridder before moving to industry analysis with advisory firm Outsell and his own Content Bridges company.

A speaker at a Moscow conference for international news agencies earlier this year, he made an impact on AAP editor-in-chief Tony Gillies who says he supports analysis with facts and figures: “He doesn’t hold back. Importantly, Ken shines the light forward, so this is compelling stuff,” he says.

Among other speakers is Matt Gierhart, global head of social at advertising agency Ogilvy.

Recently appointed chief executive of News Limited Kim Williams returns to the conference as keynote speaker.

Entry to the Future Forum is free for those who are members of, or subscribers to, The Newspaper Works, including those who were members of PANPA. Venue is the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour. A highlight of the two-day programme is the Newspaper of the Year presentation dinner in the Grand Hall of the Convention Centre on September 6.