“Creative Funding for Creative Media”

First European conference on innovatively financed media 6 and 7 November 2012 in Ghent (Belgium) What can the European media and publishing sector learn from the latest revolution of non-profit quality journalism?

Future Media Lab. - think tank of the European Magazine Media Association (EMMA) in Brussels - invites you to find answers on the first European conference and workshop on innovatively financed media at the next Creative Media Days in Ghent, 6 & 7 November 2012.

Within the last decade, US foundations started a journalistic revolution by funding more than $ 1 Billion for innovative platforms and independent institutions for quality journalism. These award-winning projects show real effects on innovation, creativity and quality by experimenting new journalistic practice in local communities, stimulating investigative journalism and civic participation, and developing new technologies in full and open competition.

For the first time ever there is a chance to explore with the leading pioneers of crowd and philanthropy funded journalism in the US and Europe the potential for media companies and creative media in a changing media landscape:

• Michael Maness, vice president of the Knight Foundation in the US, which has invested more than $ 400 Million in innovative quality journalism projects, US

• Rachel Oldroyd, Deputy Editor of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in London, UK

• Bobbie Johnson, the co-founder of Matter, the most successful crowd funded digital magazine project ever launched via kickstarter.com, US + UK

• Wouter Bax, editor-in-chief of NU.nl, the biggest news portal in The Netherlands run by Sanoma Media,The Netherlands

• Bart Becks, Co-founder & CEO of Sonic Angel, Belgium

• Patrice Schneider, Chief Strategy Officer at Media Development Loan Fund, France

• and many more.

Please find the full list of speakers as well as the complete programme on the “creative funding for creative media” website : www.futuremedialab.creativemediadays.be/

Beside inspiring keynotes participants and experts from the crowdfunding and journalistic environment will discuss the following issues in the workshop sessions:

• Fostering quality journalism

Crowdfunding creates opportunities for investigative and quality journalism for startups and existing publishing houses. It can serve variety of independent and civic journalistic projects. It will be discussed how crowdfunding can enable delivering quality and local content, which is directly related to readers’ interests.

• Expanding your business

This is about how crowdfunding could boost your business. The adaptability and complementary nature of crowdfunding with existing business models will be discussed as well as how crowdfunding can support journalistic and magazine projects in the long-run.

• Bringing ideas to market

This is exploring the capacity of crowdfunding to indicate trends by community support for new professional content projects. By discussing how crowdfunding works and how it can be used for journalistic projects we aim to explore the “dos and don’ts” of applying this innovative funding scheme for start-ups as well as existing publishing houses.

The Future Media Lab. creates with this conference a unique European meeting place for media related crowdfunding platforms, foundations, journalists and media companies to explore the potential of innovative and alternative funding approaches for media. It is an excellent learning and networking opportunity.

Please find full information here: www.futuremedialab.creativemediadays.be

Contact:

Przemyslaw Iwanek

przemyslaw.iwanek@magazinemedia.eu

+32 2 536 06 05