April 3, 2025, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Francisco J. Pérez-Latre, Professor of Journalism, Univeristy of Navarra
“Trust in Media Today”
This seminar was organized by Mercedes Medina Laverón, Professor of Marketing and Communications at University of Navarra.
Register by Clicking Here
Professor Pérez-Latre will address the declining levels of trust in media, exploring several key factors that contribute to this phenomenon. The discussion will include an analysis of the digital revolution, the economic challenges encountered by media organizations, political polarization, and the widespread dissemination of misinformation. Furthermore, he will evaluate the significant repercussions of this decline in trust, particularly its effects on political discourse, democratic institutions, and the collective capacity to confront societal challenges.
Francisco J. Pérez Latre is Professor of Journalism and the Academic Director of Postgraduate Studies at the Faculty of Communication at the University of Navarra. He holds a PhD from the University of Navarra, and a Master of Arts in Advertising and Marketing from Emerson College, Boston (1993). He was Academic Director of the Institute of Media and Entertainment (IME) in New York.
He is the author of eleven books, 36 book chapters and 88 scientific and popular articles on communication. His research focuses on trust, attention and other humanistic and anthropological foundations of marketing and communication companies. He regularly shares the contents of his research in publications such as The Conversation and through his accounts on X and LinkedIn.
March 6, 2025, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Helge Fuhst, Editor-in-Chief, ARD (German Broadcaster) Nightly News Show "Tagesthemen"
“Producing News for Diverse Audiences Across Different Media Today: German Public Service Broadcasting as a Case Study”
Organized by Castulus Kolo, President of Macromedia University of Applied Sciences as well as the President of the European Media Management Association
Helge Fuhst will examine the strategies and challenges of creating engaging news content in today's rapidly changing media world. His talk will address the state of European television today, what the challenges are of producing news for a politically and technologically diverse audience.
Helge Fuhst is Editor-in-Chief of the major nightly news show Tagesthemen, by Germany's top TV organization ARD and deputy head of ARD’s Tagesschau, Germany’s longest-running and leading news show. Previously, he was in charge of ARD’s parliamentary channel “phoenix”, and was a producer at ARD's Washington DC bureau.. He holds a Masters degree in politics and history from the University of Hannover and his doctoral degree in the same field from the University of Chemnitz.
He is an honorary professor at Macromedia University in Germany.
February 26, 2025, 11:00am-12:30pm
CITI Seminar on Global Digital Governance: International Cybersecurity Norms in the UN and Beyond
The United Nations' Open-Ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies is meeting February 17–21 in New York. The OEWG is mandated from 2021 to 2025 to promote dialogue and the development of norms of responsible state behavior regarding interstate cybersecurity and cyberconflict. The meeting could be marred by long-standing controversies over the design of new norms and obligations, the application of international law, confidence building measures, the participation of stakeholders in intergovernmental cybersecurity discussions, and the design of the new permanent UN forum for these issues to be launched next year. In addition, there are divisions on a Russian proposal to negotiate a legally binding UN Cybersecurity Convention in the wake of the recently adopted and problematic Cybercrime Convention.
The current OEWG is part of a matrix of processes that have been struggling to build consensus on the international rules of the game for cybersecurity. This includes a previous OEWG that ran from 2019 to 2021, six UN Groups of Governmental Experts convened between 2004 to 2021, and other multilateral discussions. In parallel, multistakeholder collaborations and the private sector have advanced a number of proposals for international norms and regimes.
The purpose of this webinar is to step back from the details of these individual processes and take stock of the big picture state of play in international cybersecurity negotiations. What are the key battle lines between states and their respective coalitions, and what has and has not been achieved in consequence? Has multistakeholder participation in the UN and nongovernmental initiatives influenced the governance landscape? How consequential can multilateral frameworks be in shaping the behavior of states, in particular the major powers?
A panel of leading experts on cybersecurity norms and the UN negotiations will lead off the discussion, and then the rest of the session will be devoted to open conversation among all interested attendees.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Alexander Klimburg is a researcher and adviser at a number of US and European think-tanks, a former executive of the World Economic Forum, and the author of dozens of publications including the book, The Darkening Web. He was the initiator and director of the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, which played an important role in advancing not only norms of behavior in cyberspace, but also the importance of the multistakeholder model in international governance. (Austria)
Sheetal Kumar is an independent consultant and expert on internet governance and human rights focusing on advocacy strategy development and implementation, capacity building and training, and research and stakeholder engagement in global policy forums. She previously headed Global Partner Digital's multilateral engagement to support rights-respecting norms and standards related to digital technology. (United Kingdom)
Christopher Painter is an expert on cybersecurity, cybercrime and cyber diplomacy. He has been a prosecutor of high-profile cybercrime cases and a senior official at the US Department of Justice, the FBI, and the National Security Council, and was the first dedicated high-level cyber diplomat at the State Department. Since leaving the government in late 2017, he has served as a Commissioner on the Global Commission for the Stability of Cyberspace, the President of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, and in other leadership roles related to cyber issues. (USA)
Discussant
Janis Karklins is Latvia's Ambassador at Large on the UN Global Agenda. Previously he was Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, the UN Organization in Geneva, and the UN Conference on Disarmament; founding Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence; Assistant Director-General of UNESCO; and Vice-President of the Preparatory Committee of the Geneva Phase of the World Summit on the Information Society and President of the Preparatory Committee of the Tunis Phase. (Latvia)
February 6, 2025, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: José Miguel Encarnação - President of Macao Portuguese and English Press Association, and José Carlos Matias - Director of Macao Business Magazine
“Transformations and Dynamics in the Middle Kingdom: China Between a Global and Local Perspective”
Organized by Paulo Faustino, Director of the Master's Degree in Communication and Management of Creative Industries at the University of Porto
China has implemented a unique political and governance strategy, the “one country, two systems” model. Within this framework, China has maintained the core principles of communism, while allowing regions such as Hong Kong and Macau to retain certain degrees of economic and political autonomy. This approach promotes diversification in internal governance and facilitates China's interaction with the outside world.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has been one of China's most proactive regions in foreign trade and financial exchanges. Due to its historical context and institutional advantages, Hong Kong and Macau have been able to attract substantial foreign investment, becoming a bridge between China and the global market. Similarly, Guangdong province has driven rapid regional economic growth and become a crucial hub for technological innovation.
The complex dynamics of the one country two systems approach are deeply manifested in industries such as the creative sector, culture, media, and telecommunications.
This seminar will bring together two experts on media in China, José Carlos Matias (Director of Macau Business Magazine) and José Miguel Encarnação (President of the Macao Portuguese and English Press Association). Together they will present the major changes occurring in Chinese media and the implications for the world.
January 29, 2025, 11:00am-12:30pm
CITI Seminar on Global Digital Governance: The WSIS+20 Review: What is Desirable? What is Possible? What is to be Done?
The UN's 2002-2005 World Summit on the Information Society process was a watershed in the evolution of global digital governance. Among its many impacts were the world-wide institutionalization of Internet governance and other information society issues across organizations and governments; the mobilization of civil society, business and Internet technical community stakeholders, and unprecedented coordination among them; the consolidation of multistakeholder participation in global digital cooperation; and the launching of multiple UN action lines and initiatives like the Internet Governance Forum and the negotiations over enhanced cooperation.
In 2025 the UN is organizing a 20-year review of the WSIS. Since 2006, the UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development has done regular WSIS reviews for the General Assembly and is now preparing its WSIS+20 report, and since 2024 multiple other UN bodies have launched assessments and consultations among member governments and stakeholders. The results of all this work will feed into two key meetings: a July High-Level Event in Geneva, and an autumn UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting in New York City that will take decisions on further actions, including the possible renewal of the IGF's mandate. The procedural modalities have not been settled yet but the deadlines for stakeholders to submit written inputs are January 31 for the International Telecommunication Union's working group and March 14 for the High-Level event.
Despite the looming deadlines, stakeholder mobilization appears to be lagging a bit. Accordingly, the objective of this webinar is to help stimulate dialogue and consensus-building. Three main questions will structure the discussion: 1) What sort of +20 agreement would be desirable, e.g. just a reaffirmation of the WSIS outcomes and perhaps the UN's 2024 Global Digital Compact, or a new deal encompassing new issues since 2005? 2) What is actually possible to achieve given the current states of digital geopolitics among governments, cooperation among stakeholders, and current technological and market dynamics? 3) How should stakeholders engage and collaborate over the next months?
A panel of closely involved WSIS veterans will lead off the discussion, and then the rest of the session will be devoted to open conversation among all interested attendees.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Anita Gurumurthy is a founding member and Executive Director of IT for Change. She serves on various bodies including as Co-Lead of the T20’s digital transformation working group, and has been part of the High-Level Committee of the NetMundial+10, the UN Secretary-General’s 10-Member Group on Technology Facilitation, and the Paris Peace Forum’s working group on algorithmic governance. Anita is also a Board member of the ETC Group and University centers such as the Tech & Policy Lab at the University of Western Australia and the International Development and Social Change program of Loughborough University. IT for Change acts as the secretariat of the of the Global Digital Justice Forum, a network of thirty-four civil society organizations. (India)
David Souter is an independent researcher and writer on the impact of the digital society on economy, society, environment and governance. He served as CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation from 1995 to 2003, and has worked at the London School of Economics and Strathclyde University. In the last ten years he has worked mostly for United Nations agencies including UNESCO, UNCTAD, ITU, CSTD and DESA. He was lead author of UNESCO's Internet Universality Indicator framework and of the CSTD's WSIS+10 review, and is currently leading CSTD's work on the WSIS+20 review. (United Kingdom)
Paul Wilson has worked in Internet services, management and governance for 35 years, including nearly 25 years in Australia as the head of APNIC, the Regional Internet address Registry for Asia Pacific. Paul has been closely involved in the WSIS, IGF, ICANN and other Internet coordination processes; was a member of the IGF's Multistakholder Advisory Group for 2 terms; served as Chair of the Asia Pacific IGF for several years; and served on the High-Level Advisory Committee of the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China. He was closely involved in the establishment and evolution of the IGF, the IANA Transition process, and the evolution of the RIR system for stewardship of the Internet’s IP addressing resources. (United States)
January 16, 2025, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Dr. Christoph Mayer, Partner, Highberg Consultancy (Germany)
“AI in the Newsroom- Where We Really Stand”
Organized by Uwe Eisenbeis, Professor for Media Management and Economics, Stuttgart Media University
AI and its algorithms have made major advancements, enabling new types of content creation. But where does real-world adoption actually stand, in particular in newsrooms? This seminar will provide guidance on how AI adoption in publishing has taken place, featuring examples from consulting with over 30 news publishers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Christoph Mayer is a partner at the media-focused consulting firm Highberg. He is responsible for the Data & AI practice, which develops specialized data solutions for media companies and implements the use of AI in practice. He holds a PhD in computer science from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
This seminar was organized by Uwe Eisenbeis, Professor for Media Management and Economics, Stuttgart Media University
December 12, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm
CITI Seminar on Global Digital Governance: Governing Artificial Intelligence: The Council of Europe's Convention
The Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law is the first international treaty on AI governance. Adopted in May 2024, the Convention was negotiated in two years by the Council's 46 member states, the European Union, and 11 non-members that include the United States. The treaty sets out general obligations and principles on such issues as human dignity and autonomy, transparency and oversight, accountability, nondiscrimination, privacy, reliability and security; requirements for risk and impact assessments, including testing, monitoring, and the possibility of bans or moratoriums on certain systems; and remedies, procedural rights and safeguards, including the ability to lodge complaints and know when one is interacting with AI instead of a human being. The framework covers AI systems used by public authorities and private actors acting on their behalf, but there are carve-outs for national security, national defense, and research and development. Similarly, at the insistence of the United States and like-minded governments, the Convention eschews uniform binding rules for the private sector and instead allows states to opt-in application to their companies or to pursue self-regulatory approaches. Others participants in the process opposed this limitation, which in the view of many in civil society significantly weakens the agreement.
The Convention's proponents hope that it will become a global framework akin to the Council's 2001 Cybercrime Convention. The Convention also will be nested within an increasingly complex mesh of international governance arrangements for AI that is under construction in the United Nations and multiple other multilateral processes. As such, there are many questions to explore. For example, what mix of interests drove the process and shaped the outcome? Is the treaty an important achievement, an example of regulatory overreach, or unlikely to have significant effects? What are the implications of carving out national security and related issues, and of not uniformly applying mandatory obligations on the private sector? How do we assess the trade-off between having strong rules and bringing governments with diverse positions onboard? How effective was the blending of intergovernmental decision-making and multistakeholder participation?
This webinar will facilitate dialogue on these and related questions. A panel of key negotiation participants and observers will lead off, and then the rest of the session will be devoted to open conversation among all interested attendees.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Omar Bitar is a Senior Policy Advisor at Global Affairs Canada, where he advises on Canada’s foreign policy on the global governance of digital technologies like artificial intelligence. Omar was part of the Canadian delegation that negotiated the Council of Europe Framework Convention. He previously served as Policy Advisor at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, where he led a review of Canada’s Directive on Automated Decision-Making. (Canada)
Christabel Randolph is Associate Director at the Center for AI and Digital Policy, where she oversees the US law and policy group and coordinates statements to Congressional committees and federal agencies. She led the organization's efforts with the Federal Trade Commission to establish guardrails for AI services. Before joining the Center, she held leadership positions across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. She is a licensed attorney before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh with more than a decade of experience in the law and technology field. (USA)
Thomas Schneider is Ambassador and Director of International Affairs at the Swiss Federal Office of Communications in the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications. He served as the Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee on AI that negotiated the AI Convention. Schneider also was the Vice-Chair of the OECD's Committee for Digital Economy Policy from 2020 to 2022 and the Chair of ICANN's Government Advisory Committee from 2014 to 2018. He has represented Switzerland in a number of international fora related to digital governance, and has been a co-coordinator of the European IGF since 2008. (Switzerland)
November 19, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm
CITI Seminar on Global Digital Governance: Disinformation, Information Integrity, and International Cooperation
The explosive growth of online disinformation has elicited worldwide concern and calls for action over the past decade. Attention to its potential effects has been particularly acute in 2024 because of the US presidential election and the other national elections being held in over 70 countries with almost half of the world’s population. In recent years, policymakers and others have increasingly focused on the promotion of "information integrity" as a possible antidote to disinformation and related challenges. At the same time, some advocates for the freedom of expression have been highly critical of restrictive policy responses to disinformation. However, governments have cooperated to establish international norms and mechanisms in order to address the transnational nature of the perceived problem. For example, the European Union established a co-regulatory Code of Practice on Disinformation; thirty-two mostly industrialized countries endorsed a Global Declaration on Information Integrity Online; the Group of 20 released a ministerial statement noting the relevance of information integrity; and the UN General Assembly issued resolutions and reports on countering disinformation. In addition, the UN Secretary General proposed the establishment of a global Code of Conduct for Information Integrity on Digital Platforms and ultimately released a set of Global Principles for Information Integrity. Other UN and multilateral processes have addressed the issues in varying ways, and private sector and multistakeholder groupings also have pursued collaborative responses. Free speech organizations have also weighed in.
This webinar will delve into this issue nexus in two steps. First, we will consider whether and how online disinformation has evolved due to technological, economic and political change, and whether the promotion of "information integrity" provides a path toward an improved infosphere, or towards global restrictiveness. Second, we will explore whether international agreements can make a difference; their potential benefits and risks for human rights in a geopolitical landscape populated with illiberal regimes and movements; and the prospects for compliance with international norms by the disinformation creators and the distribution platforms.
This webinar will facilitate dialogue on these and related questions. A panel of leading experts on the topic will lead off, then the rest of the session will be devoted to open conversation among all interested attendees.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Guy Berger is Professor Emeritus of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University and a Distinguished Research Fellow at Research ICT Africa. For eleven years he was a Senior Director at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, where he oversaw work on global communications and information policy and regulation. He recently was the lead author of two issue briefs on information integrity for the Group of 20. (South Africa)
Maria Paz Canales is Co-Head of Policy and Advocacy at Global Partners Digital, a social purpose company working to enable a digital environment underpinned by human rights. Previously, she co-founded and served as Executive Director at Derechos Digitales, one of the first digital rights organizations in Latin America. She holds a Master’s Degree with specialization in Law and Technology from the University of California, Berkeley. (France)
Jeanette Hofmann is Professor of Digital Policy at the Freie Universität Berlin. She is one of the founding directors of the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG), head of the research group Politics of Digitalization at Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), and Principal Investigator of the research group Technology, Power and Domination at the Weizenbaum Institute of the networked society in Berlin. (Germany)
November 7, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Antônio Napoli D'Andréa Neto, Partner and General Director, Kaiser Associates (Brazil)
Organized by Francisco Belda, São Paulo State University (UNESP)
Mr. Neto provides an in-depth exploration of the rapid rise in influencer marketing, which has expanded from $6.5 billion in 2019 to a projected $24 billion by 2024. His talk examines the key drivers behind this explosive growth, such as shifts in consumer behavior, the decline of traditional advertising, and the increased trust placed in influencers by digital audiences. The professionalization of content creators, the diversification of platforms beyond Instagram and YouTube, and the growing relevance of micro and nano influencers are analyzed through case studies like "Sua Cirurgia," "Light Copy," and "Business Education – G4."
This seminar also highlights the impact of influencer marketing on traditional journalism, addressing both the challenges and opportunities for media outlets as they adapt to new trends in news dissemination on social media. Additionally, the session forecasts future trends for the influencer market beyond 2025, including emerging monetization strategies and evolving business models. It also reflects on the crucial role that journalism must play in this new landscape, focusing on content curation, credibility, and trust.
Antônio Napole D'Andréa Neto has been a Partner and General Director of Kaiser Associates in Brazil for 20 years, overseeing more than 800 consulting projects. Kaiser Associates is a global consulting firm that specializes in business transformations, focusing on strategy development, planning, organizational change implementation, competitive intelligence, and new market entry analysis across various industries.
An expert in strategy, scenario planning, and complex problem-solving, Antônio serves as a professor at FIPE and G4 Educação. He has been a board member of the EAESP/FGV Alumni Association since 2015 and joined the board of Fundação Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal in 2023. He is also associated with Projor – Institute for the Development of Journalism.
October 24, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm
CITI Seminar on Global Digital Governance: Digital Multilateralism After the UN Summit of the Future
Governments assembled at the United Nations' September 2024 Summit of the Future adopted a Pact for the Future that pledges "a new beginning in multilateralism" and to "transform global governance." Annexed to the Pact is a Global Digital Compact intended to apply these general aspirations to global digital governance. The Pact and its digital annex have been described by the UN and some others as achieving desperately needed reforms that strengthens the UN's ability to help manage both longstanding global challenges and new issues raised by the information revolution. In the digital sphere, this includes nods to the importance of multistakeholder input, the launch of new collaborations on artificial intelligence and other issues, and the creation of a New York office charged with leading UN system-wide coordination of digital cooperation.
The time is ripe to assess what was achieved by the Pact and its digital annex, how the agreement may be implemented, and what it could mean for the future. Does it point to a transformative new beginning for digital multilateralism? Can its institutional innovations overcome the geopolitical tensions and rivalries that have confounded so many previous digital governance efforts in the UN? How will the new arrangements mesh with the digital policy work underway in UN specialized agencies and other intergovernmental organizations? How might they impact key processes that have more multistakeholder support, like the upcoming reviews of the World Summit on the Information Society agreements and the Internet Governance Forum's mandate? Will the UN New York begin to accommodate meaningful multistakeholder participation in its efforts?
This webinar will facilitate open dialogue on these and related questions. A panel of expert participants in global digital governance processes will lead off. The rest of the session will be devoted to a conversation among all interested attendees.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Fiona M. Alexander is both Distinguished Policy Strategist in Residence in the School of International Service and Distinguished Fellow at the Internet Governance Lab at American University. Previously, for close to 20 years, she served at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the U.S. Department of Commerce where she was Associate Administrator for International Affairs. (USA)
Anriette Esterhuysen is Senior Advisor for Internet Governance at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Previously she was the APC’s Executive Director from 2000 until April 2017, and served as Chair of the IGF’s Multistakeholder Advisory Group from 2019 to 2021. Anriette was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013. (South Africa)
Wolfgang Kleinwächter is Professor Emeritus of International Communication Policy and Regulation at the University of Aarhus. He was a member of ICANN’s Board of Directors, served as Special Ambassador for the NETmundial Initiative, is the founder and Chair of the European Summer School on Internet Governance, and was a member of the Global Commission on Stability in Cyberspace and of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance. (Germany)
October 3, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Dave Schaeffer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Cogent Communications
Organized by Eli Noam, Columbia University
Dave Schaeffer founded Cogent Communications in August 1999 and is the Chief Executive Officer. Under Mr. Schaeffer's leadership, Cogent has become one of the world's largest Internet Providers. Mr. Schaeffer has led the efforts of 13 successful acquisitions, propelling Cogent's originally U.S.-based network into Canada, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. Mr. Schaeffer has successfully founded and operated six other businesses prior to Cogent. These businesses span a wide array of industries from communications to commercial real estate. His diverse background and entrepreneurial successes have enabled him to build management teams that constructed and operate the only facilities-based, non-oversubscribed multinational network of its kind. In 2019, Mr. Schaeffer was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year® in Media, Entertainment and Telecommunications.
June 6, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Dr. Paula Miraglia, Publisher of Gama Revista and Founder of the Journalism & Tech Task Force (Brazil)
“Revisiting the Media Industry’s Relationship with Big Tech: Perspectives from the Brazilian Market”
Organized by Francisco Belda, São Paulo State University (UNESP)
Around the world, media organizations are facing multiple challenges linked to business models, changing consumer behavior, trust, and its relationship with technology, among many others. Although technology has always held an important place in the establishment and development of media organizations, the current relation between big tech platforms and the journalism ecosystem is characterized by unprecedented dependence and it is becoming increasingly a topic of concern. This relationship that is also defined by a great asymmetry of power. On one side are some of the most powerful companies in the world, and on the other an industry which is fighting to survive, has lost economic relevance and innovation capacity. Models of distribution, growth and revenue that once worked are no longer the answer and, apart from specific successful cases, journalism has not figured out new sustainable business models.
This session will discuss ways forward. Are licensing deals enough or do we need to talk about a new vision for the industry that gives us more agency when facing tech innovations?
Paula Miraglia is a media entrepreneur and advocate. She is the co-founder, director general and publisher of Gama Revista and the founder of the Journalism & Tech Task Force, a global initiative based in Brazil, funded by the International Fund for Public Interest Media. She also co-founded and directed for eight years Nexo Jornal. Ms Miraglia holds a Doctorate in Social Anthropology from the University of São Paulo, where she also completed her master's and BA in Social Sciences. She is a Sulzberger Fellow at Columbia University. Ms Miraglia sits on the boards of the Center for News, Technology and Innovation, the International Press Institute, the Peregum Black Reference Institute and the Brazilian Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services/BPBES.
May 16, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Dr. Jonas Föhr and Florian Schmitt, Strategic management Consultants at Suedwestrundfunk (Germany)
"Understanding Today to Plan for Tomorrow: How a German Public Service Media Company Applies Strategic Foresight to Prepare for Tomorrow"
Organized by Uwe Eisenbeis, Stuttgart Media University
Public Service Media in Europe face strong competition. SWR, one of the major German media institutions, environment, is no exception. To gain a competitive edge, the organization engaged in a strategic foresight exercise to plan for public medias’ social, technological, and economic scenarios of the future. This webinar will present insights of this work.
Dr. Jonas Föhr studied Media Management at the University of Maastricht (Netherlands), and holds a PhD in Marketing and Consumer Behavior from the University of Bayreuth (Germany). He works as a strategic management consultant for SWR, a Public Service Medium in Stuttgart, Germany.
Florian Schmitt studied Technology, Operations and Processes at the University of Bayreuth and Hanyang University, South Korea and graduated with an M.Sc. degree. He previously worked at Google, implementing a partner management network with a focus on digitalization. He also worked at Daimler on the topic of future mobility. Today he serves as a strategic management consultant for SWR.
April 16, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm
The UN's Global Digital Compact: Considerations on the 'Zero Draft'
On April 1st, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Technology released the ‘Zero Draft’ of the proposed United Nations Global Digital Compact (GDC). The final text will be annexed to the Pact for the Future to be adopted at the Summit of the Future in New York on 22-23 September 2024. The preparatory process involved multiple UN reports, proposals and consultations about global digital governance and cooperation. Some of these proposals got support, while others have proven to be highly controversial forays into sensitive policy spaces in which the international community is often deeply divided. The resulting Zero Draft reflects these dynamics. It includes proposals for new organizational structures and policy processes on such issues as artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, digital human rights, connectivity, information integrity, crossborder data flows and the system-wide coordination of UN digital work. On April 5th, the UN commences a series of intergovernmental and stakeholder consultations to help evolve a final text that can serve as a consensus landing zone.
How are the hot button issues reflected in the Zero Draft? Does the document suggest a different interplay between intergovernmental decision-making and multistakeholder participation? How might the proposed enhanced roles of the Secretariat in New York impact existing UN organizations and processes, including the Internet Governance Forum? Are the proposed new mechanisms likely to be fit for purpose and serve as effective responses to the rapidly evolving global environment? Or could these mechanisms be hobbled by the same international political differences and dynamics that have confounded previous global digital governance initiatives?
This webinar assembles a panel of leading experts from the private sector, Internet technical community and civil society stakeholder groups to consider these and other questions. As always, the panelists’ conversation will be followed by an open dialogue among all webinar participants.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Chris Buckridge is an independent consultant, an Internet technical community representative on the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group, Co-Chair of the MAG Working Group on Strategy and Strengthening the IGF, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Previously he worked for more than two decades with the Regional Internet Registries including the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) and the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC). (Netherlands)
Anriette Esterhuysen is Senior Advisor for Internet Governance at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Previously she was the APC’s Executive Director from 2000 until April 2017, and served as Chair of the IGF’s Multistakeholder Advisory Group from 2019 to 2021. Anriette was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2013. (South Africa)
Timea Suto is Global Digital Policy Lead at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). She leads ICC’s policy development and advocacy work on digital policy and Internet governance issues and works with global business experts to bring private sector views into international multilateral and multistakeholder processes. Previously she served as policy analyst for projects in the Visegrad countries and has had research and teaching roles in Budapest and Paris. (France)
April 4, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: John Sargent, Former CEO Macmillan Publishers and Executive Vice President of Holztbrinck Publishing Group
"The Economics and Management of Online Book Publishing"
Organized by Eli Noam, Columbia University
The digital revolution drastically transformed all facets of the media sector, often causing industries to trade the proverbial analog dollars for digital pennies. How can the book publishing industry evolve in a world of new distribution and new formats? What are its opportunities, as well as threats?
John Sargent is the former CEO of Macmillan Publishers (Farrar, Holt, Macmillan, Springer, Nature, Palgrave, St. Martin’s, etc.), one of the five largest American publishing houses , and top manager of the still larger Holzbrinck Group of Germany. He will join the webinar of the International Media Management Academic Association and the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information. He will discuss how book publishers handle the transition to selling books online. He will also address how major publishers handle the online platforms and publish their books online.
Sargent serves on the executive board of the Association of American Publishers. He was the widely recognized leader in the book publishers’ and authors’ fight against Amazon’s e-book pricing system.
Sargent, a third-generation publishing leader, received a BA in Economics from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia. He is the author of the recent book Turning Pages: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Publisher.
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March 19, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm
The WTO's Digital Trade Negotiations in the Wake of its 13th Ministerial Conference
The World Trade Organization is struggling to respond to the proliferation of national restrictions and trade barriers in the global digital economy. The largely failed 13th Ministerial Conference that concluded on March 2, 2024 barely managed in its last hour to extend the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions until 2026. The 90-member Joint Service Initiative launched in 2017 has been unable to finalize a negotiating text even after dropping or indefinitely pausing work on its most important but contentious issues. These include: barriers to cross-border data flows, forced data localization, forced disclosure of source code, the non-discriminatory treatment of digital products, and online platforms, among others. A key factor in this downsizing of ambitions was the US government’s extremely contentious October 2023 decision to reverse its longstanding push for strong disciplines on such items. If the negotiations ultimately produce a result, it may be more the kind of minimalist trade facilitation agreement favored by China rather than the sort of ambitious liberalization deal previously championed by the United States.
What are the prospects for global digital trade negotiations in the years ahead? What would a minimalist outcome mean for the growth of territorial borders on global flows, and Internet fragmentation? Would the sidelining of inclusive multilateral institutions further strengthen the trend toward a spaghetti bowl of varying minilateral trade deals that exclude much of the developing world? Is a sharper geopolitical clash between diverging models of digital capitalism becoming likely?
This webinar assembles a panel of leading experts on global digital trade policy to consider these and other questions. As always, the panelists’ conversation will be followed by an open dialogue among all webinar participants.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Mira Burri is Professor of International Economic and Internet Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lucerne. She is the principal investigator of the ‘Trade Law 4.0’ project, and was previously a senior fellow at the World Trade Institute, University of Bern. She is the co-author of The Classification of Services in the Digital Economy and the editor of Trade Governance in the Digital Age and Big Data and Global Trade Law. (Switzerland)
Anupam Chander is the Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Law and Technology at Georgetown Law School. He was previously the Director of the California International Law Center and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis. He is the author The Electronic Silk Road: How the Web Binds the World in Commerce, and the co-editor of Data Sovereignty: From the Digital Silk Road to the Return of the State. (USA)
Martina F. Ferracane is a Research Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence and academic manager of the Digital Trade Integration Project. She acts regularly as a consultant for several organizations, including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum and the World Bank. Martina also founded and manages FabLab Western Sicily and was listed in Forbes30U30 for her work with an innovative startup. (Italy)
March 12, 2024, 10:00am-12:35pm (Washington, DC)
Research Roundtable: AI Governance - Overcoming the Problems of AI: Regulation & Alternative Approaches
Sponsored by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) of Japan
Eli Noam and Jason Buckeweitz presented their paper: Overcoming the Problems of Artificial Intelligence in the United States: Regulation and Alternative Approaches
March 7, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Xavier Oliver, Former President of Tiempo BBDO Advertising Agency and Professor fo the IESE Business School
"The Paradox of the Content Consumer"
Organized by Mercedes Medina, University of Navarra
The digital market for video is still relatively new, but it is already changing the way people behave. For example, some may wonder why they feel tired and angry after watching a movie that is longer than an hour and a half, yet they are willing to watch an entire season of a TV series in just three days. With so much content available, people can feel overwhelmed by the choices and respond in the same way they do when faced with too many options in other areas of life.
To overcome this, brands need to be innovative and find new ways to appeal to potential customers. This may involve identifying niche markets and using techniques that have been successful in other industries. For example, branding can be a powerful tool in capturing viewers' attention.
In this webinar, we will explore strategies for breaking through the "boredom barrier" and creating engaging content that resonates with audiences. By learning from other sectors and understanding how to effectively brand content, we can identify ways to connect with viewers in meaningful ways.
Xavier Oliver is professor at IESE Business School, at the ISEM Fashion Business School, and in the Faculties of Communication and Economics at the University of Navarra.
He has been Chairman and CEO of BBDO Spain, a holding company of advertising and communications agencies with 1,200 employees and 13 commercial companies. BBDO, headquartered in New York, is one of the world’s largest advertising networks. He has been a member of the board of directors of BBDO Worldwide and BBDO Europe for 24 years. He created and for a number of years managed BBDO University, a corporate university with four campuses worldwide. After 32 years of service, he left BBDO to devote himself to teaching and his winery and consultancy.
Prof. Oliver has written and contributed to books published by the United Nations and IESE Business School, such as (1997) and Ethics in Marketing and Publicity (1998). His latest three books are: "Publicidad: no thank you!", "Atrapados por el consumo" (Trapped by Consumption) and "Marcas que sueñan. Solo las empresas que sueñan sobresalen" (Brands that dream. Only companies that dream stand out). At IESE, he has developed various cases in the areas of marketing and strategic branding.
February 1, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Luisa Ribeiro, Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Board at Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP)
"How Public Service Media can Manage in the Age of Streaming and Online?"
Luísa Ribeiro combines research and managerial experience. On the academic side, she holds a PhD in Finance from the Faculty of Economics of Porto. Having completed executive training courses at Insead, IMD, and Hult Ashridge, she has delved into fundamental research on the evolution of business models within the television industry. Her academic pursuits have included a focused examination of the impact of digital platforms on traditional television business structures.
On the mangerial side, she serves as the Chief Financial Officer and member of the Executive Board at Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP). RTP is the Portuguese public service media organization responsible for 8 television channels, 7 radio stations, and an online platform for live content .
She oversees the following areas as her direct reports: finance, planning and control, human resources, engineering and information systems, commercial operations (covering linear, radio, and online advertising, as well as national and international distribution), procurement, and an RTP Production Center.
Previously, she was a manager at a financial software house and a Partner at a venture capital fund where she played a key role in initiating a portfolio of IT and MedTech companies. She was on the founding team of the telecom and IT venture subsidiary of Sonae, the largest Portuguese conglomerate, and participated in numerous mergers and acquisitions.
Throughout her academic journey she conducted in-depth studies on the audio-visual sector, with published work exploring the cable television industry, advertising dynamics, and media management. She served as a board member of the European Media Management Association (emma).
January 23, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm
The UN Cybercrime Convention Negotiations: Implications for Human Rights and Internet Openness
Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/un-cybercrime-convention-negotiations-implications-for-human-rights-tickets-794617230527
In December 2019, the UN General Assembly approved on a 79-60 vote (with 33 abstentions) a resolution calling for the negotiation of a comprehensive international convention on cybercrime. Sponsored by Russia with support from China, Iran and other like-minded countries, the resolution established an Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) charged with elaborating a text. The AHC held six sessions in 2022 and 2023 and will have a concluding session from January 29 to February 9, 2024 in New York. The draft treaty will then be taken up by the UN General Assembly in September.
The treaty’s ardent proponents maintain that existing intergovernmental mechanisms like the 2001 Budapest Convention on Cybercrime are inadequate, and that a stronger and more broadly scoped UN mechanism is needed to tackle the evolving landscape of cybercrime. The treaty’s critics counter that the draft text is far too expansive (and indeed goes beyond cybercrime), criminalizes an arbitrary laundry list of speech and behavior, undermines multiple civil liberties, unduly constrains technology providers and users, and promotes extraterritorial surveillance and mutual law enforcement procedures that could extend the reach of repressive policing. Other governments have taken various positions along the continuum between these polar stances.
Convened a week before the final AHC negotiation, this webinar assembles a panel of leading analysts and participants in the cybercrime treaty debate in order to illuminate the state of play. We will assess the major issues with the draft text, the international coalitions and bargaining dynamics that are shaping the process, and the possible scenarios for a negotiated outcome in the months ahead. As always, the panelists’ conversation will be followed by an open dialogue among all webinar participants.
Introduction of the topic
Eli Noam is Paul Garrett Professor of Public Policy and Business Responsibility, Emeritus, and Director of the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information at Columbia Business School.
Moderator
William J. Drake is Director of International Studies at the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information and an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.
Panelists
Nick Ashton-Hart is the Senior Director for Digital Economy Policy at APCO Worldwide. He participates in the UN cybercrime convention negotiations as the Head of Delegation of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, a coalition of over 150 companies. Nick also participates in other international organization processes, including as a member of UK delegations to the International Telecommunication Union. (USA)
Katitza Rodriguez has been the Global Privacy Policy Director of the Electronic Frontiers Foundation since April 2010. In 2018, CNET named her one of the top 20 most influential Latinos in tech. Previously, Katitza directed the international privacy program at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. (USA)
Tatiana Tropina is Assistant Professor in cybersecurity governance at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University. She is a co-chair of the Freedom Online Coalition Advisory Network, and has held various leadership position at ICANN community. Previously, Tatiana was a senior researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law. (Netherlands)
January 11, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm
CITI-IMMAA Seminar: Dr. Christopher Bauer, CEO, DuMont Group (Germany)
Market and Institutional Challenges in Leading the Transformation of a German Regional Publisher into a Digital Asset Holder – Dumont Group as a Case in Point
Dr. Christoph Bauer is the Group CEO of DuMont, a leading media company in Germany, with its foundation going back to 1620. At DuMont, he has initiated and leads the transformation journey towards profitability and has set the company on a growth trajectory for becoming a digitally driven company. Through his entrepreneurial strategy, he is leading the transformation agenda along three business units: content (regional media activities), data (business information services) and technology (marketing technology software as a service), ensuring both, profitable growth and resilience.
Dr. Bauer holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration, and studied at University of Mannheim, Arizona State University and University of Oldenburg. Since the advent of the Internet in the mid-1990s, he has been a pioneer in the digitization of media companies and business models of all genres. He has over 20 years of experience in the media industry, with executive positions at Bertelsmann, NZZ, Ringier, AZ Medien.