Vol.5, No 4
October 2004

Editor : André G. Côté

 

Quote of the month:

«Mobile networks are getting faster and better and by next year 80% of handsets will have a media player »

(Source: Bjarne Andre Myklebust, NRK, Norway)

  In this month issue:
Editorial


Together into the digital future

By Hervé FISCHER, FIAM Founding President

FIAM is an emerging Federation of associations gathering contents and services producing enterprises. It is still young, like the associations themselves, and like the companies that form them. It has the dynamism and the fragility of this moving world of associations who perform in extremely diverse and sometimes difficult contexts. FIAM builds an international exchange network that will have the strength that we will put in it altogether. It will emerge from the quality and the value of our common objectives, and will evolve according to our capacity to swiftly adapt to the evolution of the markets, and the cultural an political issues in which they surround us. It is important that FIAM has been granted special consultative status underthe United Nations Economic and Social Council. Hence it will get involved more efficiently into the international debates and will strengthen its legitimacy as an advocate with important international institutions such as the World Bank, the OECD, UNESCO, the ICT Task Force, the Digital Solidarity Fund, the ITU, WIPO, etc. by giving to these Associations a stronger voice in dealing with the important contemporary issues of the digital industries. And the SME’s will certainly find new markets and partners through those gatherings.
Getting together in Beijing to inaugurate the Multimedia Summit Square Convention Center with the 4th World Summit on Internet and Multimedia is a wonderful challenge, but also a great opportunity for all of us: we are at the rendezvous as China is preparing to become at short term the most powerful economic country on the planet.
It is a pleasure to convene and share with you this moment in Beijing, form October 18 to 20. And for those who cannot make it to our Summit, I would like to
underline that it will certainly be the chance to review and reassess our priorities and our methods to give a new momentum and impetus to FIAM, which
will finally benefit to everyone.

My best regards and virtual salutations to all.


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FIAM News


The International Federation of Multimedia Associations (FIAM) is granted a Special consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations

Non-governmental, non-profit public or voluntary organizations may be admitted into a mutually beneficial working relationship with the United Nations by attaining consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.This status is based on Article 71 of the Charter of the United Nations and on ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 adopted in 1996.

The rights and privileges enumerated in detail in ECOSOC resolution 1996/31, enable qualifying organizations to make a contribution to the work programmes and goals of the United Nations by serving as technical experts, advisers and consultants to governments and Secretariat. Sometimes, as advocacy groups, they espouse UN themes, implementing plans of action, programmes and declarations adopted by the United Nations.

In concrete terms this entails their participation in ECOSOC and its various subsidiary bodies through attendance at these meetings, and also through oral interventions and written statements on agenda items of those bodies. In addition, organizations, qualifying for General Category consultative status, may propose new items for consideration by the ECOSOC. Organizations granted status are also invited to attend international conferences called by the U.N., General Assembly special sessions, and other intergovernmental bodies.

FIAM is then entering a new role of collaboration with its member associations, with the aim of developing a series of work cells in as many sectors concerned by the multimedia and digital interactive content. There is in our network all the know-how and capability needed to help the United Nations bodies across the word in our areas of expertise.

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WSIM 2004 expects representatives from over 20 countries in Beijing

FIAM’s 4th World Summit on Internet and multimedia will greet representatives from companies, academic circles, and associations from over twenty countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, France, Great-Britain, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Netherlands, Senegal, Spain, United States, and Switzerland.
They will discuss about On-line and Wireless multimedia, the future of the Gaming industry, the Digital communities (e-government- digital citizen), multimedia in E-learning, Training and Education, and Issues of Intellectual property in Asia and in China. There will also be an International Forum on Virtual Reality and Cultural Heritage, considering that China has a very important and rich Cultural heritage, and we will see how new imaging technologies can be used in Museums or archaeological institutions.
Another side event concerns Digital Beijing 2008, a workshop/roundtable with representatives from the Olympic Committee with a view of asking Calls for tenders in many aspects of the digitization process. Digital Olympics is a large project with many great business opportunities.
Furthermore, the Beijing Multimedia Industry Association, the association partnering with FIAM and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), will be staging their first "Chinese Multimedia Business Start-up Contest"
There will be two 1st Prizes of 100 000 Yuan RMB, one in the Gaming category and the other in the Animation film sector,and two second prizes of 20 000 Yuan RMB.
Hurry to register, the deadline is October 15! (read more)

The CEO of the Davos Forum inaugurates the FIAM Summit in Beijing

Former President of Costa Rica and CEO of the World Economic Forum, Jose-Maria Figueres-Olsen, will inaugurate the 4th World Summit on Internet and Multimedia in Beijing on October 18. Mr. Figueres will present his point of view on the necessity of developing digital content strategies to address the issues pertaining to the knowledge society, mainly in developing countries where the lack of infrastructure has led to a formidable digital divide.
(read more)


World Summit Award EXPERT PANEL ‘05 - Deadline extended to October 15

Based on the experience of the World Summit Award (WSA) 2003 process, the WSA selection of the best practice examples in e-content and creativity will be again (2004/05) made through the panel of the most recognized national experts.

The WSA Expert Panel ‘05 is a selection of most eminent experts from the 191 United Nations member states. Only one expert per country will be selected and appointed to exclusively represent his/her country in the framework of the WSA ‘05

The main task of the Expert Panel member is to select and propose the eight, in his/her opinion, best practice examples in e-content & creativity from his/her country. The selection shall be made according to the eight WSA categories and to the selection guidelines, provided by the WSA office.

All nominated products will be evaluated by the WSA Grand Jury. The producers of the selected products and applications will be invited to the second phase of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunis, November 2005, to exhibit and showcase their products in the framework of the WSA Content Villages and be present on stage at the 'WSA Winners Gala 2005”.

Take your chance to get your country represented by the Best of the Best and submit your nomination now!


Deadline: October 15, 2004


For more information please visit:
www.wsis-award.org or contact wsis-award@icnm.net

 

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Associations News

 

Australia

Re-elected Australian government to invest $10 millions in interactive digital content policies

The election on October 9 of liberal Prime Minister John Howard, his historic fourth federal election victory, will be welcomed by AIMIA. Their recent promise to create a $10 million fund for developing an interactive digital content strategy comes at the right time. AIMIA had been lobbying both the Government and the Opposition parties to invest in the promotion of the industry and allow Australia's digital content companies to realise their full potential.
In their newsletter, Sandra Davey, AIMIA’s National President, quoted a recent Allen Consulting Group report alleging that Australia's digital content industry accounted for over 4% of the national economy, larger than traditional industries such as agriculture, and covering diverse activities such as interactive media, electronic games, online education, digital broadcasting and mobile content services. The Australian Interactive Media Industry Association is very active in promoting digital contents of quality made in Australia.

Canada
Gaming summit in Montreal

The Montréal Game Summit is a new event for video and digital game professionals based on needs expressed by the industry. The event is destined to become THE annual gathering of Quebec's game industry and will also include participants from other parts of Canada and Eastern United States.

High-level content
The Montréal Game Summit will be a targeted event with a limited size to create an environment where learning and networking are facilitated. It offers: High level and specialized content covering creation, production and programming and in-depth coverage of advanced topics for experienced professionals.

The program
· 2 days of sessions, seminars, conferences and workshops;
· Renowned local and international industry speakers;
· Complementary networking activities: keynote lunches, cocktails, special interest group meetings, V.I.P. night and others;
· Mini exhibit.

(read more)

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Industry News


Watching TV on mobile phones. Internet is eating more and more market shares to television and broadcasters are seeking new ways to broaden their audience. At the same time, telcos are looking for contents to enrich their offer to mobile phone users. Norway and its public broadcaster NRK have decided to...
(read more)

Peer-to-Peer enters the e-mail world
 Jeftel is a small British company that seems to have found the ideal solution to fight Spam, viruses, e-mail delivery problems, while providing complete privacy against mail intruders, including… nosy employers.
And all of this is done without the use of a mail server!
Like all the great ideas, it is relatively simple, but one had to think about it.
(Read more)

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