Press release from Warsaw Voice S.A., Warsaw, March 3, 2010

The Warsaw Voice is developing a multimedia platform, heralding a new chapter for the English-language magazine, which first appeared in print during the historic changes in Poland of late 1988. Hand in hand with the multimedia drive, the print version of the magazine has been editorially revamped. The Warsaw Voice Magazine debuted in its new form as a monthly Feb. 25 with its issue for March.

A new portal will come onstream by the end of the month. The comprehensively redesigned www.warsawvoice.pl site will offer users new functions, including social networking tools, as well as expanded and fully multimedia news and information sections. New information services, including an electronic daily, will be launched in the next few months.

The Warsaw Voice first hit the streets when the watershed Round Table talks between the pro-democracy movement and the communist authorities were taking place in Warsaw. It has been reporting on the country's top political, business and cultural events ever since.

From its launch over two decades ago, The Warsaw Voice opted for international standards and in technical and professional terms was ahead of the game in many respects. It was printed using desktop publishing at a time when Poland was still in the typewriter era, and used offset printing at a time when hot metal typesetting and linotype were the norm. Along with its editorial approach, these were milestones at a time when the press in Poland was at an early stage of development compared to Western countries.

"We joined an American electronic news distribution network as soon as was possible," said Andrzej Jonas, the founder of The Warsaw Voice, its editor-in-chief since 1988, and the president of the Warsaw Voice S.A. publishing house. "We were one of the first two Polish papers to publish their complete editions on the internet."

Juliusz Kłosowski, general manager of Warsaw Voice S.A., said, "Today we are taking the next step. We are launching The Warsaw Voice Multimedia Platform in response to the rapidly changing expectations of readers and internet users.
"The modern market is placing tough challenges before the printed press, and is also challenging for the so-called new media," added Kłosowski, who is jointly responsible for masterminding the multimedia platform. "We believe that success demands a carefully planned synergy between dynamically developing printed press titles and interactive, up-to-date electronic news and information services."

The new multimedia platform will include The Warsaw Voice Magazine in conventional print format, The Warsaw Voice Online portal and The Warsaw Voice Daily news service. The launch of all the components of the multimedia platform, including an electronic daily, will take place in phases over the course of the year. The platform will be supplemented with specialized news and information services and communication tools, including the existing The Real Estate Voice and Warsaw Calendar of Events (MultiFest.pl). The latter is published in cooperation with the Warsaw Destination Alliance foundation.

The publishers say the multimedia platform will be developed continuously, based on direct input from readers and users.

The Warsaw Voice Magazine, which takes over the mantle of The Warsaw Voice weekly, will be a modern monthly covering the most important political, social, economic and cultural topics.

"Reporting on trends, events and people, publishing interviews, news reports and features, analysis and opinion, we will never diverge from the principles we have followed since the first issue of The Warsaw Voice was published on Oct. 23, 1988-credibility, independence and objectivity," Jonas said. © Voice