LONDON, UK/PARIS, FRANCE/DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Dongouk Park, vice president of media solutions for Samsung, has joined the line-up of publishers and digital experts who will speak at Digital Media Europe, a major new conference from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), to be held in London from 11 to 13 April next.
The event, to be held at the Hilton London Olympia, is drawing major publishing groups and digital pioneers from all over the world to discuss and debate new business strategies and technologies on all digital publishing platforms: online, mobile and tablet.
The programme will include a Digital Trend Day, a Mobile Media Day and an iPad and Tablet Day. The three conference days can be booked individually or as a package. Full details can be found at www.wan-ifra.org/dme
2010 will undoubtedly be remembered as the year of the iPad in the tablet world, as numerous newspaper publishers rolled out apps for Apple's device.
However, in September, Samsung stamped its signature on this market by launching the Galaxy Tab, considered to be the first serious contender to Apple's iPad, featuring Google's Android operating system and a smaller 7-inch screen.
Samsung and Apple's other competitors have gotten decidedly serious in early 2011, launching several new devices with great potential for news publishers. Park will discuss the next generation of digital platforms and will examine how publishers can better exploit these new devices, include Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 2 that features a larger screen (10.1 inches) and Android 3.0, otherwise known as Honeycomb.
Other conference highlights include:
The Stardoll phenomenon, going mobile and tablet, by Chris Seth, global executive vice president and general manager of the Stardoll Network, the leading global group of websites devoted to young women and teens with more than 92 million registered users. Set up in early 2009, the network launched its first mobile app, for both Android and the iPhone, in 2010. Chris Seth will discuss how the company is extending its network on mobile platforms.More than a million downloads how to create amazing publishing apps, by Nic Newman, managing director of EMEA and head of strategy for TigerSpike, a creative media company specialising in innovative solutions for mobile and tablets. The company has many top media companies among its customers, including the BBC, The Daily Mail and The Telegraph. Newman opened TigerSpike's UK office in 2007, and sits on the UK board of the Mobile Marketing Association and the IAB mobile steering group.Tickles: Archant's challenge on Groupon, by Serge Taborin, group business development director for Archant, the UK regional media group that is a master at identifying and implementing digital revenue opportunities. A recent showcase is Tickles, a local web site for group purchasing (Groupon-style) that opens a huge sales potential for Archant's local ad teams.15 millions kids, 12 languages, and substantial revenues: the winner is Panfu, by Moritz Hohl, CEO and co-founder of Panfu in Berlin, Germany, a hotbed of virtual world companies such as Panfu, which provides multi-platform social games for children aged between 6 and 13. There is much for publishers to learn from Panfu about creating trust in social networks, how to attract children, and how to monetise.In practice: maximise reach and revenue on mobile platforms and web TV, by Stig Kirk Ørskov, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Denmark's JP/Politikens Hus, one of Denmark's most well-known brands in traditional media. However, the hidden treasures of the media company are its digital and mobile services and television start-ups. How it is making the shift to increasing digital revenue is the subject of Ørskov's presentation.Digital doesn't have to equal free strategic development for successful business on iPad and tablets, by Pontus Schultz, head of business development, Bonnier, Sweden, which has been at the forefront of tablet publishing working intensely with its Mag+ and News+ products for iPad and other tablets. A number of Swedish newspapers, including Sweden's largest morning newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, and premier business magazine, Dagens Industri, are now available on News+.Other speakers include: Kevin Beatty, CEO of A&N Media and managing director of Associated Newspapers in the United Kingdom, Morten Holst, head of mobile for one of Europe's leading digital pioneers, the VG newspaper in Norway, Christian Unger, CEO of Switzerland-based Ringier, Marc Huijbregts, worldwide digital director of Saatchi&Saatchi, Oke Okaro, general manager and global head of mobile, Bloomberg, Olivier Delteil, business development manager for digital of Les Echos in France, Guillaume Semblat, general manager for Regions Job in France, and more.
Digital Trend Day, on 11 April, will examine future business models, sponsoring and advertising opportunities, online video, and the possibilities for monetising social media.
Mobile Media Day, on 12 April, will focus on the new business of applications (news apps, service apps, fun apps), on enriched services like maps and location-based offerings, and on working with both old and new operating systems (iOS, Android as well as WAP and SMS).
iPad and Tablet Day, on 13 April, will be dedicated to product development for tablets, case studies, strategy and pricing, and analysing and understanding user needs.
Digital Media Europe is the successor to WAN-IFRA's long-time digital events, Beyond the Printed Word and Mobile Media Day.
For the evolving conference programme, registration and other information, consult www.wan-ifra.org/dme.
