Where Media and Technology Meet

NxtMedia Conference was held on 15 November for the sixth time. The conference is a meeting place for technology-driven media development and the main participants are heads of media, researchers and specialists in media technology. This year, there were more representatives from Sweden than previously.

The local journalism segment focussed on local media's importance for society and how media innovation can be stimulated. One of the segment's primary elements was the research and innovation project Beta Borås at Borås Tidning, where an independent test editorial staff tested and developed local social journalism for 25-35-year-olds. The seminar was chaired by Martin Holmberg from Medier & Demokrati and central figures in the discussion were Frida Dam Bergsted, Editor for Beta Borås, and Stefan Eklund, Editor in Chief at Beta Borås.

'It was great to see that the auditorium was almost completely full,' says Martin Holmberg.

The Norwegian media site Medier 24 reported on the project after the segment

The conference's keynote speaker was media analyst Juan Señor from Spain. His message – only journalism can save journalism. Juan Señor's assessment is that, in the rapidly changing media landscape, where reliable, unreliable and false information are mixed in a context where is difficult to take stock, the demand for reliable content and credible journalism will increase.

The technology-based part of NxtMedia Conference was highlighted by seminars on innovation coupled to hot topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart voice assistants and block chain technology. 

NxtMedia 
A Norwegian development network whose profile is technology-drive media innovation. NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, is a key partner.