WorldView
Your WorldView#DigitalCaribbean
Guyana International Conference Centre Georgetown, Guyana. The programme may be subject to change. See the speaker profiles
Monday 19 August
Opening Ceremony
0900 to 1000
The national anthem of Guyana will be played, followed by speakers from Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), the CBA and the NCN, Guyana, before a keynote presentation from the President of Guyana.
Speakers:
- ■ His Excellency Donald Ramotar, President of Guyana
- ■ Mr Patrick Cozier, Secretary-General, CBU
- ■ Ms Sally-Ann Wilson, Secretary-General, CBA
- ■ Dr Prem Misir, Chairman, NCN, Guyana
- ■ Ms Shida Bolai, President, CBU
- ■ Mr Gary Allen, Vice-President, CBU
Tea and coffee – 1000 to 1030
The Standards: What’s the Difference?
1030 to 1200
A non-technical comparison of the leading global digital terrestrial television standards, ATSC and DVB-T2. What do the different standards offer? What are the differences? Which countries are choosing which standards and why? Are there business advantages associated with specific standards? Speakers representing the standards will give concise presentations, followed by a discussion moderated by the Chair.
Chair: Mr Gary Allen, RJR, Jamaica
Speakers:
- ■ Mr Skip Pizzi, NAB/ATSC Technology Group, USA
- ■ Dr Peter Siebert, DVB Project, Switzerland
Panellists:
- ■ Ms Louella Edwards, CCN, Trinidad & Tobago
- ■ Mr Trevor Parker, ABS, Antigua
Keynote: Going Through Transition
1200 to 1300
This presentation features an explanation of the stages of digital transition from the manager of a medium-sized broadcasting organisation that has recently been through the process. It will include stages, pitfalls, cost implications and business strategies. The speaker will also share his experience of communicating digital switchover to the public. Followed by a short interview by the Chair and a Q&A.
Chair: Ms Shida Bolai, CCN, Trinidad and Tobago
Speaker: Mr Michael Boylan, President/CEO, WJCT Public Broadcasting, Florida, USA
Lunch – 1300 to 1400
Digital Dividend: Broadcasting Innovations and Business Opportunities
1400 to 1500
This session will include examples of how broadcasters can benefit financially from going digital and the technical innovations made possible by digital transition. It will attempt to answer questions including: What are the business advantages of digital transition? What is the potential for broadcast revenue? This session will also explain how the incorporation of new media affects business models and how broadcasters can maximise revenues across multiple platforms. After the presentation the Chair will interview the speaker with a few lead questions and then there will be Q&A from the floor.
Chair: Mr Dominic Beaubrun, Starcom, Barbados
Speaker: Mr Shouneel Charles, NDTV Convergence, India
Tea and coffee – 1500 to 1515
Design Workshop: Building Resilient Communities and Engaged Audiences
1515 to 1630
Maintaining audiences is a key objective for all broadcasters. The CBA’s focus on the role of broadcasters during disasters has emphasised how building trust at such times increases audience loyalty. Globally, we are also seeing growing evidence that the effective integration of new and social media into broadcast builds a stronger audience community and enables new broadcast business models. As part of the CBA’s Digital Connections initiative, this two-part Design Workshop provides a unique opportunity for Caribbean media leaders to consider how best to design new media integration within their broadcasting business. The first part of the workshop will demonstrate how games can be used as frameworks for community engagement.
Facilitators:
- ■ Ms Lien Tran, Assistant Professor of Interactive Media, University of Miami
- ■ Dr Mathan Ratinam, Parsons The New School for Design, USA
Tuesday 20 August
Keynote: What’s New Now?
0900 to 0945
A scoping view of the new media landscape. Which platforms are here to stay? Who are the latest players? How can broadcasters take advantage? A global overview of how broadcasters are using new media platforms, from the large to the smaller stations. An in-depth presentation followed by questions from the floor moderated by the Chair.
Chair: Mr Michael Gordon, NCN
Speaker: Mr Jonathan Carrigan, Digital Product Development and Design, CBC, Canada
Tea and coffee – 0945 to 1000
Who’s Using What in the Caribbean?
1000 to 1130
A survey of what new media is currently being used in the Caribbean. After a brief introductory statement from the facilitators, a delegate from each Caribbean broadcaster will give a short informal indication from the floor on how their stations are utilising new and social media platforms. This session will focus on the sharing of information in order to get a full picture of the current Caribbean scene with regard to the broadcasting in a digital age.
Facilitator: Mr Shouneel Charles, NDTV Convergence, India
Speakers: A delegate from each Caribbean broadcaster
SMART: Radio Sales in the Digital Age
1130 to 1230
An interactive presentation about a new approach to radio sales called SMART, developed at Manx Radio, Isle of Man. This method integrates digital platforms and has successfully increased station revenues. The Chair will conduct a short interview with the speaker, by way of a few lead questions, followed by a Q&A.
Chair: Ms Corletha Ollivierre, NBCSVG, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Speaker: Mr John Marsom, Manx Radio
Key discussant: Mr Daren Lee Sing, TTPBA/OCM, Trinidad and Tobago
Lunch – 1230 to 1330
Design Workshop: Building Resilient Communities and Engaged Audiences
1330 to 1430
In this second part of the Design Workshop, participants will consider how broadcast networks can facilitate the building of communities that are resilient to the threats of environmental hazards. Participants will be asked to design a new programme or service that leverages and integrates existing communication infrastructures, social media and mobile devices to develop social clusters around community-initiated interests. In times of crisis these social networks will act as the structure by which communities self-organise for providing local relief to fellow citizens and contribute to larger government-led recovery efforts. Such networks also lead to a growth in the sense of audience as a ‘community’.
Facilitators:
- ■ Dr Mathan Ratinam, Parsons The New School for Design, USA
- ■ Ms Lien Tran, Assistant Professor of Interactive Media, University of Miami
Attracting Advertisers and 360-Degree Marketing
1430 to 1530
A panel which includes a representative from the advertising industry will discuss what advertisers are looking for in a modern broadcaster and future trends. A marketing expert will advise on how broadcasters can use new media to engage new audiences and promote their upcoming schedule.
Chair: Ms Amalia Mai, Great Belize Television
Panellists:
- ■ Ms Dionyse Fitzwilliam, Caribbean’s Next Top Model, USA
- ■ Ms Ria Pacheco–Romeo, Reach Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago
- ■ Mr John Marsom, Manx Radio, Isle of Man
- ■ Ms Chantal Hylton-Tonnes, CPTC, Jamaica
Tea and coffee – 1530 to 1545
Digital Journalism
1545 to 1700
This session addresses the specific issues relating to journalism in a new media environment. Topics discussed will include: maintaining trust; confirming sources; what skills journalists need to have in the digital age; social media tools; and, the importance of training for multimedia. A Chair will lead the discussion, involving a panel of journalists with experience working in a digital environment.
Chair: Ms Sunity Maharaj, LBIWI/The Trinidad and Tobago Review
Panellists:
- ■ Ms Odette Campbell, GBN, Grenada
- ■ Ms Rosemary Alleyne, CBC, Barbados
- ■ Mr Edward Layne, NCN, Guyana
- ■ Ms Michella Abraham-Ali, NCN, Guyana