Today’s media sector in Europe faces various challenges, while innovations and disruptions in and around Europe’s media provide a wide range of unheard opportunities. Recent developments of Hungarian, Polish, Slovakian and Czech media present a relevant starting point to kick-off the debate and illustrate how national and European politics impact media freedom, how the need for high investments in investigative journalism, diversity and truly independent media content can be embedded best in a sustainable business approach in times of technological innovations and new competition. EFJ President Mogens BLICHER BJERREGARD will participate and the EFJ is a supporting partner.
THE PROJECT
The conference “(R)EVOLUTION OF EUROPE’s PRESS” will therefore look at this situation from the press freedom perspective: How do the developments at political level, market level and technology level impact a free, independent, diverse and vibrant press across Europe.
We will run 2 roundtable workshops on press-freedom in the 21st century:
(1) Changing political priorities in Europe
(2) Technology innovation: Sustaining the business side of media
The format is highly interactive and the outcome of the conference will feed into the Future Media Lounge debate in the European Parliament in September 2016 as well as in a publication to stimulate this debate in a wider network across Europe.
The conference will be held in this year’s Cultural Capital of Europe, Wroclaw in Poland. It aims to bring together a high level group of approximately 80 to 100 politicians, media experts, journalists, start-ups, and technology experts.
Thursday, 30 June 2016
19.00h Gala Reception and Dinner hosted by the Major of Wroclaw
Friday, 1 July 2016
Conference Programme
9:30 // Registration and Networking Breakfast
10:00 – 12:00 // Session 1 – Changing political priorities in Europe and its impact on press freedom
12:00 – 13:00 // Networking Lunch
13:00 – 15:00 // Session 2 – Technology Innovation: Sustaining the business side of media to finance a free and independent press sector in Europe
15:00-16:00 // Closing Panel
16:00 – 16:30 // Networking Coffee
18:00 // Reception
Hosted by the European Capital of Culture 2016: Wroclaw. This reception will be followed by a public movie screening and debate.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the conference „(R)EVOLUTION OF EUROPE’s PRESS“ is to raise awareness about emerging challenges to media freedom in Europe.
For the first time a strong alliance of national, European and international press publishers‘ associations as well as journalist associations joins forces to set up a high-level forum to discuss a holistic view of real and potential threats for press freedom in Europe.
Beside engaging with key stakeholders for press freedom across Europe the conference aims to foster cooperation and exchange of best practices between media, civil society organisations and governments in EU member states.
As the participating organisations will take on board the key findings of this conference into their daily work with the European institutions as well as EU Member States this debate aims to ensure support for free, independent and vibrant media by EU Institutions and EU Member State governments in the long-run.
APPLICANT ORGANISATION
The applicant organisation is the European Magazine Media Association (EMMA) representing the alliance. This non-profit organisation is based in Belgium and has the status of an “aisbl” (non-for-profit organisation). It represents 15.000 magazine publishing houses across Europe. EMMA runs also the think tank Future Media Lab. EMMA is registered in the EU transparency register.
Please find herewith the address and contact details for EMMA:
EMMA aisbl
Square du Bastion 1A
1050 Brussels
Belgium
Contact:
Max von Abendroth, Executive Director / max.abendroth@magazinemedia.eu / ph.: +32 2 536 06 04 / www.magazinemedia.eu