Creative Industries to Connect Over Converging World

LONDON, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

As the worlds of television, games, the web and advertising converge Connected UK will bring together a group of world-class thinkers for a series of four events throughout May and into June that will explore the opportunities for production companies, agencies, digital companies and games makers.

The venture has been organised by a unique partnership of professional bodies including UKIE (interactive entertainment), PACT (TV production), BIMA (interactive and digital media), and the IPA (advertising) and aims to forge commercial and creative links between the UK's key creative industries, and demonstrate thought leadership to policy makers.

It will bring together hundreds of producers, agencies and developers to hear the latest thinking and experiences from across the converged media landscape regarding content, audiences, platforms and investment, and to discuss the potential for future collaboration across these areas. Speakers will include representatives from the BBC, Zeebox, Google, ITV, Gamesbrief, MPG and many more.

Says Nicola Mendelsohn, IPA President, Executive Chairman and Partner, Karmarama: "Connected UK will provide a fertile feeding ground for our creative industries to share ideas, inspiration and insights in order to build on one another's skills and connections, and collectively to strengthen our UK position as a creative innovation hub to the world."

Says John McVay, CEO, PACT: "Television producers are increasingly working with brands, digital companies and games makers to create smarter truly multi-platform content, Pact is delighted to be involved in bringing together key figures across the media and entertainment industries to explore new ideas."

Says Dr Jo Twist, CEO, UKIE: "The UK's video games industry is perfectly placed to work with other digital creative businesses in shaping the connected content and entertainment experiences that consumers are increasingly demanding. UKIE is delighted to be linking up businesses from the video games, TV, advertising and interactive media industries to share experiences, collaborate and to learn how to make the most of the opportunities presented by a digitally converged world."

Says Justin Cooke, Chairman, BIMA: "Led by the world's leading practitioners from TV commissioners to software vendors, brands, content creators and agencies, Connected UK will outline how we can realise the enormous opportunities and overcome the challenges of creating and delivering content in the converged world."

Connected UK is sponsored by Channel 4, Sky, PayWizard, City of Westminster and Imaginox.

Event details:

Content: 15:05:12

Content is at the heart of changes in the media industry; without compelling shows, websites, games or advertising, the technology is nothing. The first event kicks off with four views on what we'll be watching on our multiple devices.

Speakers will include representatives from BBC, Fuse/Manning Gottlieb, MPG, among others.

Audiences: 22:05:12

Now that audiences are watching on multiple screens how measurable is it? How are people consuming it? This second session will explore the changing nature of the people who watch advertising.

Speakers will include representatives from C4, Thinkbox, Digital Media, among others.

Platforms: 30:05:12

The technology that underpins the new connected home will be vital, it will need to please the audience with its simplicity, thrill the advertiser with its opportunity and inspire the creatives with its potential. The third session seeks the thoughts of some of the platforms that hope to be players in a multiscreen environment.

Speakers will include representatives from YouView, Zeebox, Google/You Tube and On Live.

Money: 12:06:2012

Having explored the content, the audience and the platforms the last session will explore the latest thinking from some of the people that represent investment in content and audiences.

Speakers will include representatives from ITV, Gamesbrief, Drum, among others.

All events will take place at One Wimpole Street, London, W1G 0AE, UK from 6-8pm. A Q&A session and drinks will follow the presentations. Tickets: £25 for members, £50 for non-members. For more information and to register visit: http://www.connecteduk.org