CWC @ nextMEDIA 2011 Re-cap

This year’s nextMEDIA conference took place December 5 & 6 at the Carlu in downtown Toronto.

The conference brings together producers, broadcasters, advertisers and digital media experts to talk shop and create business opportunities. CWC was invited to observe this year’s line-up of speakers and panels.

Some highlights from the two days included:

-          Hearing from @radical.media’s Robert Friedman on the “Entertainment Marketplace,” integrating brands into consumer stories seamlessly and that “brand content is best when its organic.”

-          Participating on the interactive polls during “Every Move You Make – Analytics” panel with Andrew Muroff moderating. (www.pollev.com is a great resource for creating dynamic presentations.)

-          Enjoyed (and wasn’t expecting to) the UFC panel on their digital, social and mobile strategies. Three key take-aways to their worldwide success:

• #1: Implement  a cross-platform strategy and manage the content.
• #2: Program to reward athletes for social media presence and strategy (rather than penalize like other sports.)
• #3: Localize the brand.

-          Learned a new term, cord-cutting, during the “Broadcasters Talk Digital” panel. It references consumers choosing not to subscribe to cable, online/mobile viewing and using over the air devices like digital antennas.

-          There may be opportunities for CWC members in the publishing sector, apparently they are having a hard time attracting digital talent to this “traditional” media. (According to Wayne Parrish of Postmedia Network.)

-          Getting to see my literary idol, Margaret Atwood, in person. And her amazing drawings. You can see part of her interview here.

-          Voted for the Digital Launch Pad winner Natalie McNeil (2011 TIAW World of Difference Award Winner) and her “hot” digital platform www.shetakesontheworld.com – a blog for career-minded women and women entrepreneurs.

-          Learned that www.Hootsuite.com is a made in Canada venture.

-          Introduced to the term Lovemark by Kevin Roberts, CEO Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi. I could try to explain how a Lovemark transcends the brand into passion, where consumers would feel the brand’s loss, but I don’t think I would be doing it justice.(For example my Lovemark would be Windex, it never lets me down.) I think their website probably describes this process a little better.

-          Nodded in agreement with Vivian Shiller, Chief Digital Officer of NBC News when she said that “the next generation of journalists digital tools will be second nature.”

-          Learning that publishers and broadcasters shared many of the same goals for the future of their medium:

• Creating new revenue models for mobile devices that’s compelling to advertisers.
• Developing custom experiences for consumers with advertisers and brands.
• Utilization of technology that learns consumer/viewer/reader behaviour, preferences and interests.

-          CWC Member Rochelle Grayson talking about her new venture @bookriff www.bookriff.com & other Canadian social start-ups: www.socialgift.com, www.shopify.com and www.pinpointsocial.com

-          Hearing this again (and again, every conference): “If you don’t have a good email strategy, you shouldn’t be looking at Facebook (or Twitter etc.)”

-          Personalization, personalization, personalization – sorry, you didn’t get that? Personalization.

-          Something I (and @rajakhanna) already knew: that media companies need to play catch-up to their consumers.

There was some great live-tweeting during the event, you can view most at #nextmedia.

Thanks to Achilles and nextMEDIA for another great conference – can’t wait until next year!

 

CARTT.ca features the CWC/Digital Theory Digital Convergence Executive Series keynote speakers

This past fall CWC and Digital Theory collaborated to present the Digital Convergence Executive Series; full-day courses that delivered specialized digital business training to the converging Technology, Media and Telecom “TMT” industries. We had many fantastic speakers including Janet Eastwood, Sara Diamond and Candice Faktor, to name a few. Lesley Hunter from CARTT was there and has featured a number of the keynote addresses on the Cartt.ca website. You can view the full versions of these articles on the CWC blog, links below.

Digital Convergence: Can social media revive appointment television viewing?

Digital Convergence: Gen Y opts for convenience over best screen

Cartt.ca is an independent, on-line news service that publishes breaking news, in-depth feature stories, analysis and opinion geared specifically towards the cable, radio, television and telecom industries in Canada. Subscription is only $99 per year, and corporate bulk deals are available upon request. Please email subscriptions@cartt.ca  for more information or to subscribe.

Liste des dix premiers éléments d’importance des récipiendaires du Programme Jeanne Sauvé

Les récipiendaires du Programme de perfectionnement de carrière Jeanne Sauvé de l’AFC 2010ont mis en valeur les dix premiers éléments d’importance personnels à partir de leurs longues années d’expérience :

1. Si vous trébuchez sans tomber, alors vous avez fait un pas en avant. Si vous tombez, vous vous relevez, vous essuyez la poussière et poursuivez votre route; vous aurez appris quelque chose.
2. Laissez les résultats de la situation et prenez une distance sur qui vous êtes et ce qui se produit dans cette situation. C’est bien de planifier, mais ne vous accrochez pas trop au plan non plus.
3. Tissez des liens. Comprenez l’enjeu – qui êtes‑vous? Quel est votre milieu? De quelle manière vous insérez‑vous dans ce milieu?
4. Portez‑vous volontaire pour des projets pilotes, des comités, des conseils. Ils sont importants au perfectionnement d’une carrière.
5. Les répercussions proviennent d’un point focal – trouvez un point focal et sachez amener les gens vers ce point. Quel est votre mandat? Est‑ce que vous l’honorez? Quels sont vos talents? Quelles sont vos faiblesses?  De quoi pouvez‑vous vous débarrasser?
6. Appuyez les femmes autour de vous, devenez mentor.
7. Ne prenez pas les choses de façon personnelle. Ne perdez pas votre temps avec la culpabilité, c’est une perte d’énergie.
8. Équilibre entre travail et vie personnelle – apposez vos limites pour vous et les autres suivront.
9. Lorsque vous changez d’emploi, ancrez‑vous à une de vos compétences. Sachez insérer cette compétence dans votre nouvel emploi. Ne craignez pas le fait de ne pas avoir toutes les compétences requises – une seule suffit pour l’instant!
10.  Prenez des risques!!!! Sortir de sa « zone de confort » peut s’avérer effrayant. Saisissez les occasions qui vous emballent et que vous craignez. Ressentez la crainte mais allez quand même de l’avant. Après tout, qu’y a‑t‑il de si effrayant?

Le Programme de perfectionnement de carrière Jeanne Sauvé donne la chance à trois participantes du secteur public – une provenant d’Industrie Canada, une de Patrimoine canadien et une autre du CRTC – et deux participantes du secteur privé de participer à trois stages offerts en rotation qui totalisent six semaines.

Ils apprennent de première main les façons dont le secteur privé, le gouvernement et les organismes de réglementation font face aux nouveaux enjeux et défis. Ils examinent les questions portant sur la conception des programmes et les stratégies et la meilleure manière de répondre aux besoins des clients, des législateurs et des intervenants.

Vous voulez en savoir plus sur ce programme, qui offre une manière unique d’avoir un accès plus vaste aux règlements et aux politiques en communications? Visitez notre site Web.

Les demandes doivent être remises au plus tard le 16 novembre 2011.

Jeanne Sauvé Top Ten List

The recipients of the 2010 CWC Jeanne Sauvé Career Development program highlighted the top ten personal takeaways from their year-long experience:

1. If you trip and don’t fall than you’ve leapt one step forward.  If you fall, you get up and dust yourself off and move on having learned something. 
2. Let go of the outcome of the situation and get some distance on who you are and what happens in the situation.  It is good to plan but don’t be so attached to the plan.
3. Build relationships.  Understand the game – who are you?  What is your environment? How do you fit with your environment?     
4. Volunteer for pilot projects, committees and boards.  They are important to career development.
5. Impact comes from focus – focus is finding a corner and leading people to it.  What is your mandate?  Are you doing your mandate? What do you do well?  What do you not do well?  What can you get rid of?
6. Support women around you, volunteer to mentor.
7. Learn not to take things personally.  Let go of guilt – It is a waste of energy.
8. Work life balance – set limits for yourself and others will follow.
9. When you move, anchor yourself to one skill you have.  Bring that one skill to your new job.  Don’t be afraid that you don’t have all the skills – just bring one!
10.  Take risks!!!!  Getting out of your comfort zone can be frightening.  Go for opportunities that make you excited and scared.  Feel the fear and do it anyway.  After all, what can be so scary?

The CWC Jeanne Sauvé Career Development Program provides five participants, one each from Industry Canada, Canadian Heritage and the CRTC and two from private sector organizations, with the opportunity to take part in three separate rotations totalling six weeks.

They learn first-hand how private industry, government and regulatory agencies respond to new issues and challenges. They also examine questions about program design, strategy and how best to meet the needs of customers, legislators and stakeholders.

Want to learn more about this program that offers a unique way to gain unparalleled access to the area of communications regulation and policy? Visit our website.

Applications are due November 16, 2011.

CWC @ APEC – Women and the Economy Summit

From September 14-16, 2011, CWC President Stephanie MacKendrick attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) – Women and the Economy Summit (WES) in San Francisco. Below is an account of her participation at the summit where topics discussed highlighted CWC’s own mandate.