The Media, Entertainment and Information Industry Partners are select member companies of the World Economic Forum that are actively involved in leading the Forum's mission at the industry level. These include publishers, broadcasters, digital content aggregators, social networks, advertising and communication agencies, as well as media measurement companies. 

The Media, Entertainment and Information Industry is facing more changes than ever before, and it is therefore critical to combine the efforts of all stakeholders as well as adjacent industries to understand and address this rapidly evolving media landscape.

Projects

Industry Partners within this community have priority access to ideas, projects, and stakeholders that actively focus on the most relevant and critical industry issues and challenges. Some of the initiatives and projects include:

Shaping Norms and Values in Digital Media (2012-2013)

Across the globe, the rules of digital content are being formed: laws and policies written, cultural norms emerging, industry coalitions forming. In this dynamic environment, the disparate expectations and interests of the primary stakeholder groups – government, industry, and citizens – are intertwined, and often at odds. Any government policy or business strategy will need to take into account numerous interlinked factors to achieve desired outcomes and avoid unintended consequences. 

The goals of this project are to:

1. Develop an alternative framework for digital media that start with intentions of different stakeholders rather than the actions in order to arrive at a shared understanding concerning issues such as freedom of expression, intellectual property and Account for differences in regional values and cultures and how they are reflected in the digital world which is borderless
2. Explore the context and conditions needed for any government or business intervention to be effective and sustainable, showcasing some regulatory policies around intellectual property that may have seemed effective in the short-term, but too costly in the long-term.
3. Highlight cases of collaborative efforts among stakeholders or leadership of a specific group of organisations that can prove most successful, especially relating to technological innovation

This project is part of the Living a Hyperconnected Reality initiative and explores how we can best adapt and develop effective governance models for today’s hyperconnected world by focusing on the interlinkages between the rights and duties of individuals, businesses and governments. To access our interim report, click here.

Other related projects under this Hyperconnectivity initiative include Rethinking Personal Data, Risk and Responsibility in a Hyperconnected World, and Connected World - Transforming Travel, Transportation and Supply Chains

Creative for Good (2013) 

Being an output of the Global Agenda Council on the Future of Media, the “Creative for Good” platform is a repository of brilliant, inspiring and effective case studies worldwide, as well as a brief “how-to” guide and resources for organizations embarking on such efforts.The goal of the platform is to showcase the power of media and communications in creating positive change regarding social issues, and try to reverse the idea that advertising is only about increasing material consumption, whilst allowing NGOs and other organisations to benefit from simple tools and best practices while devising their own campaigns.

The Future of Content (2011)

The rate of innovation in the media, entertainment and information space has accelerated to a blistering pace. Digital products and services have become integral components of our daily lives, and, as a result, the way we consume content has fundamentally – and forever – changed. Storytelling is increasingly moving from a singular, linear narrative, delivered via “one-way media” (such as print and broadcast), to content that can be delivered via many platforms simultaneously. These media include devices such as tablets, social media sites and gaming platforms. The Future of Content explores the future of multiplatform content creation and what it means for media companies, consumers, and policymakers. To find out more about this project on our microsite, please click here. 

Media in Fast Growing Markets (2009-2010)

This project is an innovative web-based case study on the media outlook in Latin America, Middle East, China and India featuring interviews with regional and global leaders addressing the challenges and opportunities posed by recent geographical, economic and demographic shifts.

The Digital Ecosystem (2006-2008)

Broadband adoption, technological advances and decreased operating costs have pushed the IT, Telecommunications and Media and Entertainment industries into a period of great flux. As they converge, they are forming a space we could call the Digital Ecosystem.  A healthy Digital Ecosystem will can create economic value and deliver well-being to society, but its stakeholders are questioning the shape and size it will take. This project focuses on 6 critical uncertainties within the Digital Ecosystem: user empowerment, market structure, market regulation, Intellectual Property Rights, security and privacy. 

Global Agenda Councils

Currently three Global Agenda Councils exist that that relate to the issues of the media industry: The Global Agenda Council on Social Media, The Future of Media and Informed Societies. 

The Global Agenda Council on Social Media

The digital media landscape has changed immensely, influenced by social media and social network sites, which have fundamentally changed the way we work, govern, communicate, and live. It has created immense opportunity, not without fear or challenges however.  Most of all, it has created disruption. Amidst the disruption, the aim of the Global Agenda Council on Social Media, which was created in 2011, is to be a centre for ideas, knowledge and facts in demonstrating both the positive power of social media, while also shedding light on some of the confusion, contested values, and unanswered questions.  

The Global Agenda Council on The Future of Media

The Global Agenda Council on the Future of Media was formed in 2010 and is now in its third term. Throughout its existence, the Council has focused on two main themes: 1) industry-related risks and opportunities; 2) the role of media in promoting social issues and adding value to society. The Council plans to develop an interactive report outlining the road map for the future of media through a process of co-creation with experts and the general public. The co-creation will take place on a crowd-sourcing platform hosted by the European Commission.

The Global Agenda Council on Informed Societies

The Global Agenda Council on Informed Societies was formed in 2010 after emerging from the GAC on the Future of Journalism. The overall vision of the Council is to identify and raise awareness of how different stakeholders can ensure that all citizens have access to reliable information in order to make informed decisions. Now in its third term, the Council is working on producing an Index of Informed Societies, which will use the above criteria to rank countries according to their current status in achieving fully informed societies. 

Calendar of Events

There will be a dedicated programme for media executives in the following World Economic Forum meetings:

World Economic Forum on Africa
8-10 May 2013
Cape Town, South Africa 

World Economic Forum on East Asia
5-7 June 2013
Tianjin, Myanmar

Annual Meeting of the New Champions
11-13 September 2013
Dalian, People’s Republic of China

New York Strategy Meeting
2-3 October 2013
New York, USA