The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has opened the competition for the 12th edition of its International Newspaper Color Quality Club, the only worldwide printing quality competition for newspapers.
Newspapers that register by 7 October 2015 will benefit from a free preliminary test evaluation by WAN-IFRA. Registration deadline for the 2016-2018 edition of the Club is December 2015.
Newspapers that maintain rigorous printing standards are eligible for membership in the Club, a short list of the world's best-printed color newspapers. Membership in the Color Quality Club can increase a newspaper's prestige among readers, pride among staff members, and – perhaps most importantly – benefits when it comes to selling ad space to demanding customers.
The goal of the International Newspaper Quality Club is to improve the quality of reproduction and printing in production, while also increasing competitiveness as well as training and motivating all personnel. The competition has been held every two years since 1994.
Successful newspapers are awarded membership for a two-year period in the exclusive club of top-quality titles. Multiple winners and participants in the WAN-IFRA certification project also have the prospect of being awarded membership of the WAN-IFRA Star Club.
Participation can be easily integrated into a newspaper's normal production operations. Participants download a small ad-like test element and incorporate it into a page –no costly, time-consuming special print runs are required.
Benefits of participating:
- Demonstrate consistent and reliable printing in accordance with exacting worldwide standards;
- Promote certification and gain an edge in the competition for readers and advertisers;
- Counter customer complaints more confidently;
- Increase quality awareness and know-how within the workforce;
- Define goals for production personnel and motivate them to achieve those goals; and
- Optimize materials on the basis of detailed evaluations.
Tutorials
WAN-IFRA offers tutorials in which interested parties and participants in the Color Quality Club competition can familiarize themselves with the relevant ISO standards and Color Quality Club rules.
Next tutorials are in Frankfurt, Germany on 15 June 2015 (German language) and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 29–30 July 2015, Chennai, India on 9 July, and New Delhi on 14 July (English language).
WAN-IFRA's World Printers Forum encourages innovation, productivity and product development that can be instrumental for publishers now and in the future. The Forum promotes the power of print and the sustainability of print production.