Renowned panelists will discuss a number of issues concerning the future of sport events in the region: How is it possible that Croatian athletes have continued with even greater success than before, when recession and crisis have taken their toll on other segments in the society? What is the reason behind it all? Will it last? Where does the sponsors’ money and interest come from? Why haven’t investments in sports been reduced as much as investments in culture, although over the past five years the budget for culture in Croatia was 11 times larger than the budget for sports? What is the limit to the funding of major championships in Croatia, the European Football Championship or the Kutija Šibica? How can one explain the sponsors’ investments in Medveščak Hockey Club and their shying away from Dinamo FC? These and many more questions will be answered by sports experts from the whole region.
Sudjeluju: Tomaž Ambrožič (SV RSA, Slovenia) Markoantonio Belinić (KLH Medveščak Zagreb, Croatia) Josip Ivičić (Vox, Croatia) Vuk Mitrović (SportsAdd, Serbia) Ozren Muller (PR-Event Sport, Croatia) Vedran Pavlek (CroSki, Croatia) Pete Radovich (CBS, SAD) Đorđe Stefanović (Crvena Zvezda, Serbia)
In the 1980s the journalistic profession abounded with the intellectual elite members with a thirst for knowledge and accurate information, as well as for revealing important stories. Their chief principle was the quality of the article. They practiced their skills and created a unique writing style; they had attitudes about different issues and adhered to business ethics. Moreover, they were known as relevant sources of information. Columns were written by journalists whose point-of-view defined the public opinion and the journalistic profession was held in high esteem. Today, however, the situation is slightly different; there are different examples of journalism in the market, which is why the public’s trust is different than before. Does independent and free investigative journalism still exist? Since the times of paper and pen, the journalistic tools have expanded to skills at and knowledge about the internet, photography, editing video reports, as well as blogging and participation in various social networks. How can one be a relevant journalist in the 21st century?
In what way and for how long has the recession changed us as individuals/ consumers and as companies? The marketing industry would give millions, nay, everything in the world, for a precise answer to this particular question – the difference between the growth in the post-recession era and the fall into the dustbin of history. The fact is that the mentality and habits of the consumers, who have either lost their jobs and started making less money or are surrounded by people having similar troubles, have changed many times over and often quite unexpectedly. Thus, for instance, it is no surprise nowadays to see a consumer buying the latest model of a TV set with the largest screen available in the afternoon, only to take his lunch to work the next morning seeing as it is wiser and costs less.
That is, however, just the beginning of the story. The changes in value systems, views of life, social climate in general, people’s behavior and their consumer habits as well as business models have inevitably led to changes in campaign marketing. Marketing strategies, budgets, marketing departments’ organization, brand management, expectations from agencies, etc. are significantly different even in the eyes of our panelists than they were in the years of the economic growth. Are we ever going to return to the way it was? Which behavior models will we keep even after the recession? Has the recession made us any wiser or at least encouraged us to behave as we should have even before? Have the marketing budget been cut for good? In what way has the recession changed the clients’ expectations from their marketing agencies? Which strategies can win the new, more careful consumer over? In retrospect, what would our panelists do differently if they could go back to 2008?
Developing applications, particularly those for mobile phones, is seen in public as the sure path to the world of the rich and famous. Of course, apps aren’t easy money as the ignorant would make it – one not only has to work hard to develop apps but also have great ideas and a ‘nose’ for business – but developing web and mobile apps is a job that is least about where one is located in the world. This panel discussion’s participants are a living proof that in order to achieve global success, it makes no difference whether you live in Croatia or Slovenia, or Mozambique or Manhattan. What is then crucial for one’s success? This is what the discussion will attempt to answer, along with providing you with the first-hand knowledge of how to get around, go over or tumble down all those obstacles that you are faced with from the moment you get a great idea to the moment of its successful business realization. And since the participants are all cutting-edge technology visionaries, we will surely get a glimpse of their vision of the near future when the explosion of smartphones and mobile internet devices, such as iPads, are going to make internet even more indispensable in everyday life than now.
Participants: Matevž Klanjšek (Celtra, Slovenia) Viktor Marohnić (ShoutEm Ltd., Croatia) Luka Sučić (1337BIT, Croatia)
The eighties were the age of great achievements and great destruction. Has what we expected then been realized 30 years later? What did we exactly expect back then? Did our, the last youth in Yugoslavia, managed to cope with the huge responsibilities that came with the great social changes that followed? What motivated us back then: was it art, changes, youth, freedom or politics? How much did the people who had led the free, youth media in the eighties become pillars of the system 30 years later? Is it possible today to create a freedom winning project, the same way it was done back then? Where does the responsibility of the media for the society in general lie today? Where are the people who led the independent media in the eighties today? What connects us and divides us today, as compared to what connected us and divided us thirty years ago? What made the organic link between the independent print media and the new wave? Does today’s media fragmentation provide more or less possibilities? What would have happened if 30 years ago we had internet, blogs or Facebook? Are there any independent media today? Who are today the people who had a social role 30 years ago and created independent print media?
Fight Club is a project by the Croatian Web Developers’ Association (CROWD) for the promotion of the internet culture. The project was launched in April 2010 with the aim of entertaining and educating general public at various, periodically held events. Each of the events features a moderator (a public person, preferably undecided over the issue debated) and representatives of two opposing groups (experts in the matter debated), fighting in a verbal duel. At the same time, the audience acquires new or additional information and knowledge about various issues, technologies or products debated.
If the print media are dead, the voice of the radio silent, and the TV image has faded – aren’t social networks simply a passing hype, isn’t web overrated and online video still technically inferior, particularly in communities where broadband is still expected? The participants of the fourth Fight Club will try to answer these and many other questions.
Fight Club 4: Online Vs. Offline Advertising Advertising in the offline media will be represented by Jasna Zemljić (24sata, Croatia) and Andrea Marković Mihić (Adria Media Zagreb, Croatia), while the opposing, online side will feature Nikola Vrdoljak (Gingernet, Croatia) and Ante Magzan (net.hr, Croatia). The potentially heated discussion will be moderated by Marko Rakar (Mračni Blogger, CROWD co-founder).
Participants: Arguing ONLINE: Ante Magzan (predsjenik uprave Adriatic Media-net.hr, Croatia) Nikola Vrdoljak (Gingernet, Croatia)
Arguing OFFLINE: Andrea Marković Mihić (Adria Media Zagreb, Croatia) Jasna Zemljić (24sata, Croatia)
Teenagers of the 21st century are part of the Generation Y; they want it all, they want it now and as fast as possible. The teenagers of today need loads of information, use social networks and are the most loyal followers of the latest IT achievements.
The children of the digital age desire and create new trends. That is why the media and marketing people are constantly looking for new information about teenagers’ habits. What is obvious is the fact that nowadays teenagers form a unique group; however, it is hard to say if they are really odd or if the media are simply having a hard time understanding them. Over 1,2 billion teenagers in the world have a huge global effect – on their peers, parents and culture. Different surveys and researches show that teenagers spend over 70 hours a week using different electronic media. They create the present under the influence of the media. At the same time, the children of the digital era affect the media as well.
Teenagers accept new forms of communication the easiest. Are they, therefore, abandoning the traditional media? Have the new media already taken the leading role among the teenagers and what do ‘peculiar creatures’ prefer nowadays? The panel discussion titled ‘Teenagers – Peculiar Creatures’ will try to show how the lifestyle of today’s kids (they are kids, regardless of what they look like and how hard we try not to talk about it) is perceived by the teen media and if the latter fit in with the teenagers’ world. The discussion will hopefully prove to be a live debate about the generation that does not know the world without internet. Unbelievable but true!
The idea behind the panel discussion dedicated to the radio as the medium and titled ‘The Morning Shows’ is to present the current situation concerning morning shows aired by radio stations in Croatia and the region. Many believe morning shows are the most popular and commercial part of the program for the majority of radio stations. Moreover, it seems their importance has grown over the past decade or so even on our radio stations. That is also one of the main positive trends that have crossed over from the best radio stations in both the United States and Europe, together with the modern lifestyle. For an hour during the discussion we will try to find out, together with the key creators of the morning shows, just what makes this particular radio program different from the shows and programs aired during the rest of the day, as well as how the speaking and music parts of the show are developed, and just how many people it takes to get that machinery going. Moreover, we will try to see what the advantages and limitations of morning shows’ are, and why morning shows have become the most important segment on almost all radio stations.
Participants: Petar Gjosev (Metropolis Radio network, Macedonia) Kornelije Hećimović (Soundset, Croatia) Dragan Ilić (Supermiš, Serbia) Siniša Švec (Radio 101, Croatia) Ivan Vukušić (Antena Zagreb, Croatia)
According to the researches about the relations between media and public relations, more than half of the information and articles in the media have their source in the PR services of various organizations and institutions, celebrity publicists and PR agencies. According to that it turns out that half of the media is ‘produced’ by the PR. What would papers, radio, TV shows or news portals look like if there was no PR or public relations managers? Or, perhaps, the question should be a bit different: would PR be the fastest growing profession in both private and public sector in the past decade if they did not enjoy such support from the media? Who needs whom more and who calls whom more often – are journalists calling PR manager more often or is it the other way around? Are their relations about common or opposing interests, is it love or hate? Have journalists and PR practitioners been ‘doomed’ to a marriage of interest?
Great headline or cover story is in constant demand. Is it less worthy if it comes from a ‘PR lab’? What does a ‘desirable PR manager” look like in the eyes of the journalists? From the journalists’ point of view, are PR managers smothering journalistic freedoms and are they trying to ply a fast one on the media? How can one reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable: journalistic objectivity, clients’ needs and wishes, and PR practitioners’ position between the hammer and the anvil? Is there hope for a better, mutual future? These and other questions will be answered by journalists and experts in public relations from the region.
Croatia’s independent TV production, including film production as well, has for the past two years been fighting for survival, literally. The situation is similar in the neighboring countries, where the best part of the creative production potential has been sucked in by large multinational production systems. The latter came to the region as sharks following tankers, in shadows of international commercial television stations. At the same time, the number of independent producers in the total television production is growing steadily in the regulated European markets. Their share will further increase by new platforms and digitization of the TV program, consequently increasing the overall quality of the production. What is then the problem with this region? Croatia has good legislative regulations defining business operations in the TV industry; unfortunately, the regulations are not being implemented for some reason. Why is that so? The panel discussion should answer this particular question and give an overview of the recent situation concerning the independent TV production in the region and Europe.
Participants: Klaus Hansen (CEPI, Denmark) Joseph Johnston (CEPI - European Coordination of Independent Producers, Belgium) Nina Obuljen (Ministry of culture, Croatia) Igor Stoimenov (Absinthe Production, Serbia) Robert Tomljenović (Ring Multimedia, Croatia) Matjaž Žbontar (Independent Producers’ Association, Slovenia)
Radio industry has been heavily attacked by the crisis. Most of the radio stations have posted significant drops in revenues. Advertisers are opting for other media or larger radio stations. Local radio stations are facing forcible nationalization. In September 2010 two new radio networks are expected to start operating. Why is that? What are the similarities and differences between Total FM, Soundset network and Jadranska network? What will happen to the stations that decide to continue broadcasting without merging with others?
Participants: Saša Ćeramilac (Soundset, Croatia) Juraj Hrvačić jr. (Antena Zagreb, Croatia) Vedrana Majetić (T-HT, Croatia) Davor Pekota (Jadranska mreža, Croatia)
…Sony launched its Bravia Internet Video TV content; Wal-Mart purchased VUDU; The New York Times offers online video games; Washington Post partnered up with Boxee; TiVO joined forces with BrighCove, and BrightCove partnered up with the New York Times; Australia’s leading telco Telstra is the co-owner of Foxtel, together with the News Corporation; in June of 2010 Hulu (owned by NBC, FOX and ABC since 2009) launched the Hulu Plus, which enables advertising through VoD as well as content availability on all four platforms (PC, TV, mobile and PC tablet); Spain’s leading broadband communication and entertainment provider ONO has joined forces with TiVO to provide exclusive content through a fiber optic network; Verizon’s FiOS TV has partnered up with Time Warner. The media, print in particular, have finally discovered monetization through apps and widgets. The telcos are becoming the media, media/service providers wish to ensure access to broadband customers; the TV is going after the internet and mobile, and the internet is chasing after the TV; the latest IPTV offer allows telcos to join the formerly inaccessible chain of advertising on TV. Why is all this happening? What is the common denominator?
Researches show that we are willing to pay only for a unique content, unique benefits, unique packaging or unique experience. In fact, everything has become an ultimate and integral part of the monetization of the new and unique eco-system comprising four large groups of players: the media, telecommunications companies, entertainment electronics manufacturers and the so-called internet players. The borders between their partial eco-systems are fading away… The business models emerging on the basis of this convergence are pulling down borders and companies, standard values are changing, new ways of monetization are required as the old ones are no longer functioning. The time spent on building relations with the users was never as precious as it is today…
Participants: Peter van Kol (Adria Media Zagreb, Croatia) Stipe Orešković (EPH, Croatia) Tomaž Perovič (Pro Plus, Slovenia) Gernot Rasch (Vipnet, Croatia) Rudolf Skobe (Planet 9, Slovenia)
This particular panel discussion will clarify the positions of the regional TV stations on the digital multi-channel environment that they will soon find themselves in. Special emphasis will be placed on the new channels’ strategy as well as on the positions concerning advertising and additional interaction on both the existing and new channels. Moreover, the participants in the discussion will try to answer whether the line between the TV stations and the owners of the cable, that is, satellite platforms, is disappearing, and who has better starting positions in the newly created situation. It will be interesting to learn about the experiences of the countries in the region since certain digitization-related decisions were completely opposite, regardless of the geographical proximity of the countries involved. We will also hear about the public services’ strategy on opening new channels and whether they will have a public or commercial role, as well as if they will allow advertising and in what way they plan to position themselves. Finally, we should learn about the way the multi-channel environment will reflect on the overall business and if a more significant reshuffling in the advertising market is expected as well as if certain additional, more advanced contents are being prepared to attract advertisers.
Participants: Dražen Mavrić (Nova TV, Croatia) Josip Popovac (HRT, Croatia) Aleksandar Tijanić (RTS, Serbia) Pavel Vrabec (Pop TV, Slovenia) Johaness Zull (RTL, Croatia)
What is the most important question the fashionistas ask every late August, with the arrival of the first fall rains and the departure of the summer? What will one wear? No. Fashion victims already know that, since the collections for the coming fall are usually presented in the spring. The question that is never asked out loud but is, nonetheless, asked by fashion circles with a dose of jealousy and readiness to criticize is: Who is on the cover of the September issue of Vogue? It is that particular cover and then the entire edition that are the most important pieces of expensive paper that all the fashion journalists, editors, critics, designers, stylists and fans around the world comment on, criticize, praise but follow in the coming year. What happened that made a magazine so influential over what we like, buy and wear? The interconnection between the media and fashion is an example of the traditional hen and egg story. What came first – good designers or even better fashion opinion makers? How much has the recession brought them down to earth and is luxury truly a part of everyday life or just an illusion from the full-colored pages? What is the situation in the region, in a much smaller and poorer market? Is fashion nothing but a ‘reality simulation’ here or can one really talk about a fashion market? Fashion editors and people at the helm of a number of Fashion Weeks in Croatia and Serbia will try to answer these and other questions.
Participants: Nataša Davidov (Cosmopolitan, Serbia) Viktor Drago (Cro-a-porter, Croatia) Vinko Filipić (Fashion.hr, Croatia) Saša Joka (Elle, Croatia)
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Had a great time - it was an awesome conference (and the parties were amazing). Congratulations again! "
Tim Hwang
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I enjoyed the Festival very much. I thought it was well organized, informative and fun. Anyone involved in media in and around Croatia would greatly benefit by attending. Panels and speakers were interesting, diverse and represented great expertise there respective areas. "
Rob Lee
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My impressions are more than positive. Weekend is a big, internally minded meeting! "
Alexander Oswald
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I had a great time at the Festival! It all seemed to go very smoothly...It was my first trip to Istria and I loved the whole experience. "
Tim Hwang
Rob Lee
Alexander Oswald
Chris Matyszczyk
