Digital Journal partners with nextMEDIA to explore future of digital media Special

DigitalJournal.com is happy to announce it has been invited to be a media sponsor of a leading digital media conference, nextMEDIA. Taking place in late November in Toronto, nextMEDIA boasts a lineup of speakers from leading companies such as Facebook, Rogers and Telus. On Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, Toronto's Design Exchange will be host to a meeting of new media minds -- the annual nextMEDIA Toronto conference will showcase panel discussions and speakers divulging their insights on media production, social media, online trends and more. The nextMEDIA team has invited DigitalJournal.com to be a media sponsor of the conference as a way to reach out to citizen media and industry participants who are interested in the digital media space. DigitalJournal.com editors will be reporting from nextMEDIA on both Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and a preview article will be published closer to the date of the conference. Baylea Mahoney, marketing communications coordinator for Achilles Media, the company responsible for organizing nextMEDIA, approached DigitalJournal.com because of its global reach. "The site involves writers from across the world," Mahoney says, "and we want to get the word out about the emergence of digital media beyond Canada." She also enjoyed the editorial coverage in DigitalJournal.com's Technology and Internet sections, saying a nextMEDIA media sponsor should be on top of the latest in those fields. So what should attendees expect at nextMEDIA? On Nov. 30, executives from Boxee and Rogers Cable will debate the value of content in the digital space and which pay model works best. Also, "transmedia franchises" will be explored, as Jeff Gomez of Starlight Runner Entertainment discusses how popular TV shows such as Lost and Flash Forward allow interactivity across various platforms. The mobile Internet is the focus of another panel discussion, and a keynote session explains the value behind monetizing an online audience.

Courtesy Achilles Media

Attendees at a nextMEDIA conference in 2008

image:57600:4::0

The final major keynote of Nov. 30 stars Gavin Purcell, supervising producer of NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He'll talk about bringing new media strategies onto a TV talk show. The following day will offer keynotes on ushering in social media to businesses, workshops on embracing cloud computing, talks on machinima working with mainstream media, and a session exploring digital media's impact on ad campaigns. Last year, DigitalJournal.com was a moderator at nextMEDIA, where it hosted a panel discussion on new applications for smartphone users. nextMEDIA is not just known for its forward-thinking talks; the conference invites attendees to network during breaks and lunches, allowing executives within the digital media space to discuss the pressing issues of the day. Mahoney says she expects around 500 people to attend this year's nextMEDIA event. Registration info for nextMEDIA Toronto can be found here. nextMedia is also hosting the Canadian New Media Awards, to be announced Dec. 1 at a gala ceremony at the Design Exchange.