Flying start for Media & Democracy

Hello there...

… Martin Holmberg, Head Project Manager for Media & Democracy. The project has soon been running for six months. What have you achieved so far, and how far have you come?

-The project – or the pilot study – is flowing smoothly.  Since January, we have mainly focused on meeting key people in the media industry and research community. Lindholmen Science Park’s objective is to establish a unique development center in collaboration with industry and academia.”

What kind of a response have you received?
“100% positive! We have either met, or had personal contact, with over 100 people and repeatedly received confirmation of the importance and topicality of the project’s basic question: How are the media, citizens, society and democracy affected when media are no longer the same dominant and self-evident ‘glue’ in a community? The rapid development of media brings both opportunities and threats, which is challenging from a social perspective.”

How much are industry and academia prepared to invest?
“Finding the answer to that question is our next major and critical step. So far, we have only received a clear thumbs up. Tidningsutgivarna are supporting the initiative, for example. And our discussions with Public Service and academia have also revealed an enthusiasm to participate and contribute. However, it is too early to say exactly how this will be done.

No specific thoughts?
“Well, yes, and – in fact – even more than that. We are preparing a handful of feasible research projects and as luck would have it, some players, on their own initiative, have indicated that they want to be involved. So, in regard to some research ideas, which are based on real experiments, we have already reached a considerably more detailed phase. But in these instances – as for the entire development center – we have not even reached the point of considering sources of funding.”

So basically your work involves describing and listening?
“Exactly. Since the objective is to create a joint national development center with Lindholmen Science Park as the hub, we obviously need to make our plans known and bring players in to identify their needs and questions. And from that angle, it was also a lot of fun to receive international attention and a chance to present the project and our plans at several larger media events in Europe during the spring. In partnership with Digital Media Europé in Vienna, Austria, and at the Nordic Media Festival in Bergen, Norway. Here in Sweden, the Media Festival in Gothenburg (MEG) was a golden opportunity for spreading awareness and capturing ideas.”

Surely Media & Democracy’s basic issue must also have international topicality?
“Yes, obviously. The media trend we are seeing here in Sweden, mainly because of digitization, is also taking place all over the world. We can also see that press freedom – a key element of a vibrant democracy – is under heavy political pressure in many countries. We are therefore seeking international forums for collaboration and two that we have already invited are the Global Alliance for Media Innovation (GAMI) and the emerging Media Innovation Nordic Group (MING). We have also been quick to establish a good exchange with the Norwegian media industry network NxtMedia.”

You mentioned the next phase of the pilot study. What will that involve?
“We will continue our discussions with key players in the development arena. Firstly, to show how far we have come with the blueprint for its design and proposed structure. Secondly, to garner more input and comments. That phase will also include, as I mentioned, more specific discussion about what each player is prepared and able to invest in the initiative.”

When will the pilot study be completed?
“In the fourth quarter.”