Arab Evolutions. The Mediterranean after the global slowdown
Kick-starting talks at this session of the Aspen Mediterranean Initiative was the observation that the arduous and variegated evolution of the Mediterranean region needs to be viewed within the prevailing global context.
Media and politics in the digital age: participation, transparency, and responsibility
Participants at this Aspen Seminar for Leaders session were unanimous in their agreement that social networks are neither good nor bad per se, but that what is open for debate is the way in which social media interact with democracy, and the way in which governments are responding to the growing power of new communications tools. While those in attendance were left in no doubt that the popular protests of today – such as those that erupted in North Africa – take off and gain momentum online, the internet does not always suffice to ensure that any resulting change is permanent.
Transforming a company in a sector that is undergoing transformation
Discussions at this event focused primarily on the profound changes taking place in the news and publishing industry. It was remarked that, on the one hand, the industry is having to respond to competitive pressures common to other sectors, first and foremost being the search for efficiency gains in a globalized market, and, on the other, editorial product is undergoing an extraordinary transformation wrought by technological innovation.
The future of Italian television
This national roundtable got underway with the observation that the digital revolution which began in the late 1990s has radically changed the world of television. Today, audiovisual content can be found on the internet, smartphones and tablet computers: transmission capacity has been boosted, general-interest TV is losing audience shares and the level of user customization is on the rise. Industry models are also changing – and fast. In the near future, the models for making television, delivering it to audiences, and making it attractive to advertisers will be very different.