Media Business in Practice: The e.CC Digital Media Case Study Competition

The e.CC Case Study Competition

Fragmented audiences on multiple platforms, on-demand cinema screenings,  social networking and the general democratization of media: all this constantly reminds us that times are changing fast in these days! Revenue models that worked well for creatives and media managers in the past, have altered as well: running a media-related venture in Europe today increasingly requires new and creative approaches to run and sustain a business or project. In order to learn about key problems in today’s media business, 10 teams of students (see list of participants) from eight European countries competed against eachother in the e.CC case study competition from 27 June to 2 July in Strasbourg. Unique and dedicated case studies had been authored for the e.CC in the categories: Television, Cinema and New Media.

Let’s talk about Leadership!

Leadership Skills for Media Professionals

All sectors of modern life require profound leadership skills in order to set corporate goals and achieve them by mobilising a company’s workforce. This is probably even more true for the media industry in it’s current state of constant change. In order to update their knowledge and exchange their views, European media executives from a variety of broadcasters and production companies gathered in Strasbourg for our most recent EMELP workshop (19 to 24 June). The session delivered a platform to exchange and explore questions like: how does your company position itself to provide value as language barriers and borders erode? How do you build a brand that has national and international strength? How do you leverage a collaborative network of talent to innovate and deliver content the customer will pay for?

Netflix Targeting European Audiences?

Will Netflix come to Europe in 2011?

Recently, a contact from our Facebook community pointed out that Netflix is obviously preparing to expand their activities to European markets while referring to related news headlines and job openings at Netflix. Interesting enough, I thought, for writing a short blogpost on the topic. For those not too familiar with Netflix: as of today, it happens to be the world’s leading Internet subscription service for TV shows and movies with about 23 million members in the U.S. and Canada (also see Netflix company profile at Crunchbase).

MIPTV 2011 Review: Branded Content, 3D & IP Protection

At the Heart of Digital Content Business: MIPTV in Cannes (France)

For us, April and October always means visiting the City of Cannes in southern France in order to attend the MIP markets, which happen to be among the largest digital content markets worldwide. Accordingly, we again spent a few days at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes to check what’s new and to take part in various presentations as well as panel sessions that are offered in parallel to the buying and selling activities of broadcasters, production companies, studios and other media companies. This year’s MIPTV, which took place from 4 to 7 April, essentially focused on 3D TV, branded content and the protection of IP rights in the digital multiplatform era.

Summer 2011: Media Business ‘Case Study’ Competition in Strasbourg

European Students to find Solutions for Challenges in Today's Media Business

From June 27 to 2 July 2011, the media business school etma in Strasbourg, France, will become the hub for a variety of young and innovative European students who are ready to find solutions for some of the most pressing issues of today’s media industry. The event will provide an exciting opportunity for delegate university teams to explore real-world business problems in a case study competition called the ‘etma case challenge’. The teams will work on three categories of cases covering cinema, television and new media with a cash prize of EUR 4000,00 for the winning team in each of the categories. A jury of recognized academics, potential employers and industry professionals will assess the presented solutions and overall performance. The three winning teams will then, in a final step, compete again for the “super trophy”, the top prize of the event.

EU MEDIA Programme wants your Opinion on Future Support

Supporting the European Audiovisual Sector: The MEDIA Programme of the EU

As many of you may know, the MEDIA programme is the official EU support initiative for the European audiovisual industry. The support ranges from co-financing training programmes for professionals of the media sector up to the development of production projects (feature films, television drama, documentaries, animation and new media) as well as the promotion of European audiovisual works. However, the current Media 2007 support programme is coming to an end in 2013. Many of you have been supported in the development or the distribution phase of your projects. Others among you might NOT have received any support because your line of business is not yet supported under the guidelines of the current programme. Whatever may be the case, this is your chance to promote changes that may benefit your projects in future as well.

“Documentary is Dead, Long Live Documentary”: The Future of Factual Entertainment Business

53rd International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film

Last week, our Director had been invited to the 53rd International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (DOK Leipzig, Germany) for a keynote speech to producers and film industry representatives about the development of the international documentary film market. Accordingly, Paul Pauwels presented his take on the fundamental changes that, more or less, disrupted and reshaped the factual entertainment business over the past years. The full version of his speech is available as a PDF via our official website. Please find below a summary of the key issues that had been addressed in his speech.

MIPCOM in a Nutshell

MIPCOM 2010: Redefining the Entertainment Experience

Last week saw the 26th anniversary of the world’s leading market for the content and entertainment business. Like everyone working in this business and being affected by its development, I was also in Cannes to see how the media industry is “Redefining the Entertainment Experience“. The latter was the official teaser of this year’s MIPCOM. A quite catchy phrase that actually managed well to communicate the sense of ongoing consolidation in the industry, especially between major conventional players and digital platforms. In other words: optimism was in the air. This is not to say that all channels, distributors and producers are having the time of their life, but there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel. After the crisis, the drop in ad sales and years of uncertain experiments with revenue from digital, there is now some evidence for alternative ways to cash in, even if we’re still in the infancy of that novel economy.

What if you’re new to MIPCOM?

I don’t exactly know whether you could call me a MIP veteran, but it’s certainly not my first market here in Cannes. I’ve been strolling around the Palais des Festivals since 2008. And yet, I felt intrigued by an offering called “Firsttimer Invitation Cocktail” and I thought it might be a good idea to check what you’re told in case it should really be your first visit to a MIP in Cannes. So the central question is: how do buyers (eg. broadcasters) and sellers (eg. producers) come together and how do you actually strike a deal?

European Leadership and Innovation Programme for Media Business Executives (EMELP)

In times of accelerated change and shifting business-models the need for innovation and inspiring leadership is more present than ever. In a joint-venture training programme etma and the International Institute for Television Leadership provided the occasion to a selected group of International Media Executives to reflect on this new situation and to enhance their leadership competencies.

EMELP 2010 Participants

15 executives from major European and international broadcasters participated in this year’s EMELP Session that took place in the etma facilities in Strasbourg. During six intense training days (16-21 June), etma became a hub for ‘new thinking styles’ and ‘fresh ideas’ based on the challenges within the participants’ corporate environments. Alternating lectures with case study group work, the session allowed for a systematic and guided approach towards practical solutions.