Copenhagen September 27-28 2012. The venue for the seminar will be the Black Diamond – home of the Danish Royal National Library, the National Photo Museum and the National Museum for Cartoons. (Photo: Lars Pryds)

By Per Munch,
member of the organizing committee for Space_2012

We admit it. The media business and SNDS have their foundation in print. Newspapers, magazines, books. That is why SPACE_2012 will open in the garden of The Royal Danish Library, founded in 1661. But when we have passed through the Harry Potterish reading hall with its green porzelain lamps we physically and mentally enter the future. We move into the next phase on rolling pavements to the panorama view over the Copenhagen harbour through dark glass windows of the Black Diamond, built 10 years ago.

Lift off
Now we’re ready for a trip into Space. How do we relate to readers who no longer sit quietly in a library or in their livingrooms at home, but instead explore the internet and the real world, too, and even contributes with their own photos, videos, text, layouts and webdesigns? How do we make sure that our ‘old media’ will make the transistion and use the new possibilities to to creat interactivity and include the readers?

How can we – immigrants in this new land of possibilities – learn how to stay up to date and how to work together in new ways that match all the new jobs?

Oh, and: How do we make money out of all this futuristic new stuff?

The countdown to SPACE_2012 will take place in the Queens Hall of the Black Diamond, where 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 will be followed by some of the most innovative people of the media business; people who will share their case stories and experiences with us – who see business models that are profitable as well as ethically and morally correct.

We also introduce some ‘aliens’ – successful people working with food, music, architecture, consumer electronics etc. Because we believe in cross-pollination. Because we believe that enthusiasm and the power to innovate are human qualities – not just words in a jobdescription.

Futurama
But – hold on to your PowerPoint presentations: Did we ever actually learn anything, just from listening to someone speaking from a stage? Shouldn’t we also learn from experience? That is why the most important ingredience of this seminar is FUTURAMA: Small, compact workshops. Our ’Space Ambassadors’ will outline a scenario for the participants to relate to. There will be brainstorming and conceptualizing, there will be discussions and thoughts flying in the air of the weightless room we create. In this room, everything is possible.

The scenarios could be like this:

A large newspaper wants to create an interactive universe based on a succesful printed guide section. How is it possible to engage users and use augmented reality, location based services, and a mash up of things already availabe? Or:

How does a morning paper prepare for large events like the Utøya tragedy? How handle input from readers and the first reports from the scene better? And how make sure that the follow up coverage is superb? Or:

Is it possible to create a club-media, where people can get information, participate, buy phisical goods, go to lectures etc.? What subjects will be relevant?

Face the Future
Track 2 of the seminar is called FACE THE FUTURE. It’s about having the right tools for the job – to get inspiration from colleagues from all over the world. Here, we help you catch trends and thoughts in the minds of consumers, and give ideas to publish them to your specific platform. We look at different business models and ways to organize workflows. The sessions are workshops or larger presentations as “wake-up calls”, for instance:

Twitter. What is worth following? How do clever tweeters tweet? If you do not have a twitter account yet, get it here.

Facebook Pages. Basic knowledge about creating a page for your project –  how to use it wisely and efficiently.

iPhone lab. Video, photo, apps, reporting.

Organization. How can frozen companies create new stuff? Which new ways of working together should we learn? Is there a special Scandinavian way to cooperate and integrate? Should editorial departments work closer together with the commercial departments – and how?

Food and drink – and partying
Along the way, of course, we offer you a chance to enjoy Danish and Scandinavian specialties in both food and drinks. Denmark is the origin of both the New Nordic Kitchen – with excellent food prepared with local rather than imported ingrediences – and of the world famous Carlsberg brewery. So look forward to a Salsa of Scandinavia and a glass of tasty beer! Carlsberg’s motto is “Semper Ardens” – “Always Ardent” – a motto we in the media business should adapt for ourselves.

Dresscode for the future?
Come as you are – but carrying as little mental baggage as possible, so that you are ready to think new thoughts and develop new ways to do things with the rest of us. So,
the dresscode for the future is: New Habits.

PS: Begin your Space Voyage today on facebook.com/sndscandinavia. Send in your suggestions for speakers etc. – and get the latest news about the program and more. And if you haven’t already done so, remember to sign up for the SNDS newsletter at snds.org to get important news and updates.