The Future of Content: Event Programme : Future Media Lab

The 4th Future Media Lab. conference will be taking place on 21 January 2014 in The Panoramic Hall at The Square in Brussels. This conference, titled “The Future of Content: Innovations in professional journalistic and media content creation, dissemination and consumption“, is a half-day event that includes keynote addresses, panel discussions, and an interactive session (World Café format). It is meant to kick off the broader debate about how to position the content industry in the new European Commission. More information about the conference can be found here.

Programme

8.30h // Registration & Networking Breakfast

9.00h // Opening Panel of Director Generals on “The Future of Content” // moderated by Christoph Keese, Axel Springer

Robert Madelin // DG CONNECT // European Commission
Xavier Prats Monné // incoming DG EAC // European Commission
Rik De Nolf // CEO // Roularta Media (B) and Group Express Roularta (F)

9.45h // Keynote: Technology drives media innovation – industry keynote // tbc

10.05h // Moderated Debates: The business model question // moderated by Christophe Leclercq // Euractiv.com

During this part of the programme, the moderator will interview four experts to kick-off a debate on the business model question. In the first part he will focus on media innovation and in the second part on revenue models, with the aim of provoking similar debates among the conference participants. The debates are meant to present new or alternative ideas about future media business models in a critical way.

1st part – Media innovation in a converging media world
2nd part – Revenue models in a converging media world

Prof. Jeroen Smit // University of Groningen // Netherlands
Mario Tedeschini // Gruppo Espresso // Italy
Nick Piggott // Global Radio // UK
Lorena Boix Alonso // DG CONNECT // European Commission

10.50h // Networking Coffee Break

11.10h // Thoughtleaders Module: interactive workshops // World Café format facilitated by iMinds Media // moderated by Martijn Bal // iMinds Media

How will professional journalism be funded in the future? (focus tables on: commercial funding (advertising); public funding; creative funding (i.e. crowdfunding, donor organisations); innovative revenue models) // Expert teams meet with their hosts in small working groups. Outcome of these working groups will be presented to the audience after the workshop session and will be picked up by the concluding panel.

12.15h // Networking Coffee Break

12.30h // Report of working groups back to audience

12.40h // Political Keynote “The Future of Media in Europe” // MEP Nadja Hirsch

12.55h // Expert Debate: Innovation in content creation // moderated by Bertrand Pecquerie // Global Editors Network

The concluding debates will be formatted similarly to the earlier debates, with one moderator and two experts per round. Each round will include questions related to innovations in journalism, bringing into play the outcomes of the workshop sessions. The idea for the expert debates is to leave participants thinking critically about the topics discussed throughout the day, with an aim to provide a balanced view of the current and future media landscape.