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A high-priced affair: DNA

Review: Digital News Affairs Conference, Brussels, 4-5 March 2009

The €1150 ticket to attend this year’s Digital News Affairs Conference illustrated the difficulty of doing business amid the worst financial downturn since the crisis of the 1930s. As in previous years, it was a great chance to network and debate. But for

many, the cost was prohibitive: At least 125 fewer participants came to Brussels for this international event in 2009 than did in 2008. But attendance is down not just in Brussels, but at conferences on both sides of the Atlantic.

EJC@:Interest in a recent EJC blogging competition, Th!nk About It, prompted DNA organisers to invite the EJC to contribute to a panel and report from the audience.

Ruth Spencer, the associate editor at the EJC who oversees daily the Th!nk project, joined a panel discussion to consider the role of online media in elections titled, “Who Made Barack Obama President?” Her fellow speakers included Jodi Williams from the Obama Campaign Team, Stephen Clark of the European Parliament, and Jeff Jarvis of Buzz Machine (via videolink from New York).

But, if the EJC staff was not working at the event, would we have reached into our wallets for the €1150 entry fee?

We are not sure.

Background: Indeed, there was a lot to talk about. The news and media world is under assault as never before. All across Europe and in the United States, old assumptions about how media companies should act and perform are being undermined. New technologies, new competitors and an economy ravaged by a global recession. How are media companies to respond? Is there a formula for success, or even survival at this critical time?

Venue: The swish and colourful Le Plaza hotel provided a classic background for these discussions. The layout of the X-day event was a talkshow format, with a low-stage and spotlights, set in front of a large screen. The WiFi worked and the food and drink were delicious.

Moderators: Moderator Richard Gizbert of Al Jazeera led his sessions in a lively way, with a relaxed sense of humour and arm slung over the back of his seat. With the classic delivery of a North American presenter, Gizbert guided the debates, while skilfully prepping then probing his guests.

With Ben Hammersly of Wired Magazine, the atmosphere was rather more staid. Clearly, the guests share the spotlight and therefore the responsibility for making an engaging debate. But in any case, under Hammersly, the sessions on stage transpired in a staccato manner, not flowing easily.

Speakers: The conference got off to an inauspicious start: as Kris Peeters, Flemish Media Minister and keynote speaker, pulled out. His susbsitute was less than inspiring, with a faltering voice and eyes glued to the page.

Several other speakers were more impressive, and there was a good a range of French, Italian, Belgian and North American voices.

Much of the programme was split into panel discussions. Spencer, after participating in what was her first live debate and watching others, was nonplussed.

“The panels were too closely orchestrated - there was little room for real debate and exchange,” she observed.

There were few individual presentations. Michael Rosenblum was his usual irreverent self, while Peter Vandermeersh’s keynote was long-winded. It was disappointing that Jarvis did not attend in person – particularly as his name was in a marquee position in DNA advertising.

A noticeable oversight: The programme was “diverse as a Mayflower reunion” - without any African or Asian voices - unfortunate for what was billed as “the world’s leading cross-media, cross-platform conference”. The blurb refers only to Europe and the US. Are we talking global or transatlantic? Are we stuck in a 20th century mindset?

Audience: In the audience, there was more of a hum than a buzz, with few reporters joining the ‘melee’. There were several print journalists and live bloggers, but fewer than expected for such a major conference.

In sum, perhaps a conference covering the media/financial crisis at €1150 per ticket, simply isn’t viable for most in the industry who are busy cancelling their conferences. Still, it seems Europe can’t host enough. On 19 March, the Guardian Changing Media Summit (another high priced event) is a two day event covering essentially the same issues, but without Eyeborg on the programme.

(Co-written with Kathlyn Clore and Ruth Spencer).

Tags: brussels, conference, digital news affair, europe, online media,

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