The merger will take effect on 1 er January 2026. Wan-Ifra, the global association of newspaper publishers, and FIPP, the international federation of magazine publishers, join forces. The operation will bring together more than 20,000 media brands and technology companies from 120 countries, forming the largest cross-sector alliance in the industry.
According to Vincent Peyrègne, Managing Director of Wan-Ifra, the merger meets a strategic necessity for the company "collective reinforcement" in a sector faced with the domination of technology platforms and the emergence of artificial intelligence. FIPP will nevertheless retain its own identity and events, notably the annual world congress.
Historically more focused on the general-interest press, Wan-Ifra today brings together some 3,000 publishers and technology companies, as well as 60 national associations representing 18,000 publications. FIPP, for its part, has been federating publishers specializing in niche, lifestyle or B2B publications for almost a century.
This merger marks a recognition of the growing convergence between these two universes. Traditional distinctions between the news and magazine press have become increasingly blurred over the years. Monetization strategies, development of digital subscriptions, audience retention, commercial diversification and technological adoption: the challenges are now common.
From an operational point of view, a new internal Wan-Ifra entity, named Consumer Lifestyle and Special Interest Media, will bring together the former members of FIPP. Under the leadership of Alastair Lewis, current CEO of FIPP, this division will be overseen by an advisory board made up of current FIPP board members.
FIPP retains its major events, in particular the World Congress, which will continue to be an integral part of the calendar.
Training courses and specialized content developed by FIPP will be integrated into the Wan-Ifra offering. Members will benefit from access to a common knowledge base, including case studies, best practices and industry data from both ecosystems.
This structural evolution reflects an offensive strategy in the face of a changing environment. Yulia Boyle, President of FIPP, emphasizes that the merger enables "to establish common frameworks for action and carry more weight in global negotiations" while maintaining the identity of the trade press.
