CONFERENCE

The German media market is ranking among the top in the world, both by number of programmes as well as revenues from advertising. But there is change ahead. As elsewhere in the world people are using a mix of different platforms to stay up to date, to discuss and share what they think is relevant.
 
How to prepare for the digital media future?
The "Medientage" (Media Days) is relevant, because it is is a meet up bringing together the two different types of media companies that are dominant in Germany. Private broadcasters on the one hand, public broadcasters on the other.
 
While the "private" companies generate revenue from advertising, public broadcasters in Germany get budgets through a monthly fee from every household with a TV or radio set. As a result, views on how to change organisations for the digital future can differ greatly. Or do they? Answering this question is what makes this conference worth visiting. This year there where 500 speakers, presenting ideas, strategies and opinions in about 90 panels.
 
An opportunity to learn about media strategies
The pressures to change old models into digital, multi-platform offerings in the future, is the driver of what makes the "Medientage München" interesting. Here, the big players from TV and increasingly from technology companies come together to present their ideas and strategies. Often, especially on the panels with prominent speakers, attending helps to understand the current sentiment better. 
 
Discussing effects of cloud computing for media
VISION Cloud was present on a panel discussing new options for Content Streaming and video, using cloud computing. The panel brought together Uwe Schnepf, CEO of nacamar, Mauro di Pietro Paolo, Vice President Information Technology at pay-TV provider Sky Germany and Holger Sirtl, Cloud Evangelist Architect at Microsoft Germany.  
 
For VISION Cloud, Wilfried Runde, head of the innovation department of Deutsche Welle, took part in the exchange. Along with this presence, VISION Cloud published a White Paper, prepared by Deutsche Welle and RAI which looks into current options to use cloud computing in media companies. The paper can be downloaded here. 
 
Key points from the panel
Mr. Runde introduced the key ideas of VISION Cloud at the annual media conference Medientage in Munich, Germany.
 
To make a point he focussed on how the work day of an editor has changed in a matter of years. Looking into the future, there are a number of opportunities to use cloud computing to re-engineer workflows geared to publish content across multiple platforms. 
 
Video and big data key drivers for media clouds
The online video workflow includes numerous steps of production processes (e.g. metadata, encoding/transcoding, copyrights, editing) where various cloud services can contribute in each of these steps.
 
Furthermore, data journalism and user generated content in regards to social media, the panelists have debated about how to relocate cloud computing processes into the cloud.

Quote Wilfried Runde:
"One example of how a media cloud can be beneficial is a smart cloud that helps with automatic processes of verifying user-generated content in social media data and contribute in analysing huge amounts of data". 

Mr. Runde highlighted how VISION Cloud aims to contribute to future requirements and highlighted the VISION Cloud media market analysis which takes a closer look at the media production process and how the cloud can contribute to each of these steps. The White Paper, written by Deutsche Welle and RAI, is now available for free download (see link below). 

Trust is key
In the discussion among the panelists concerns over data protection and data security where notably mentioned. The particpants agreed that "trust is key" for cloud computing.

Links:
Medientage München: Homepage

VISION Cloud White Paper: Media Clouds Market Analysis
(links to article with download link and a bit more background)
 
Photo-Credit: Linda Rath-Wiggins