Berlin – host city for WAN-Ifra’s IfraExpo event in successive years a decade ago – has been chosen for next year’s INMA World Congress.

And there’s more, as the two media associations set their conference agendas for next year: INMA has announced its event will be first up in May (4-8) with WAN-Ifra’s previously announced World News Media Congress the following month (June 1-3).

Date and venue for INMA’s ninety-sixth annual congress was announced during the association’s New York event last week, with leaders pointing to Germany’s fast-developing news media industry and the German news industry’s rapidly expanding participation in INMA as key reasons for selecting Berlin. A new website at www.inma.org/berlin has been launched.

Across two days of conference, two days of study tours, and one of seminars, INMA plans to spotlight how to grow audience, brand and revenue. More than 600 professionals from top news media companies in more than 50 countries are expected to attend.

INMA says Axica convention centre (pictured top) – located next to the Brandenburg Gate – has been chosen for the media conference, with UNESCO heritage site Museum Island Colonnades & Neues Museum for the welcome reception. A Spree River evening boat tour will highlight the city’s architectural contrasts, while the Global Media Awards dinner will be held at Tipi am Kanzleramt, a legendary venue with a 1920s flair (below). Hotel Adlon Kempinski, located next to Axica, will host weekend seminars.

Theme of the event is ‘From Walls to Bridges: News Media Reimagined’. The conference week includes two study tours, visiting up to 16 news media companies, as well as end-of-week half-day seminars covering topics including digital subscriptions, generative AI, product and tech, advertising & commerce, and newsroom transformation.

INMA executive director and chief executive Earl Wilkinson says Berlin is the perfect backdrop for the congress week because of its history as a city of reinvention and its status as a stronghold for press freedom.

“We’ll meet at the heart of a city that symbolises transformation, openness and change, where we will aim to find unique insights, innovations and inspiration for attendees.”