The drumbeat that is WeMedia is getting louder and louder.
Starting on Tuesday, two-hundred of the world’s most innovative leaders, executives, investors, marketers, activists, educators, entrepreneurs and game changers will gather in Miami for a one-of-a-kind conversation about the future. Innovation and entrepreneurship are hot topics right now — more than just buzzwords or back-of-the-napkin concepts, the very idea of innovation and entrepreneurship embodies the unprecedented opportunity to change the the world through media and technology that we know exists. WeMedia is about recognizing and capturing those opportunities and taking the big steps necessary to make them a reality.
All this week we have been highlighting the sessions taking place at WeMedia and introducing the influential voices that will drive the conversations. Next week we will give you a front row seat to every session and hear from the game changers who are defining and leading our connected society. We also invite you — as members of the WeMedia community (whether you are scheduled to join us in Miami, or participate from afar online) — to participate and help advance the discussion online, and we’ll tell you how.
Today, I will preview two other big areas that WeMedia will tackle through various workshops and caucuses next week — notably how media and technology change the way organizations function and our government operations, as well as what changes to the world of education, from what we teach to how we teach (and how people learn) are required because of the influence media and technology have on our world. I’ll also tee up a fascinating conversation about the future of leadership.
I am actually co-producing (along with Limor Schafman) the first workshop I want to mention — about rebooting government and business. We are going to explore what it would take to harness the potential from the relentless flow of pervasive, personal technologies, to actually change the way instituations, like government and industry, operate. We’re not talking about using social media to promote a video or welcome some comments from your audience – what we see so often these days from organizations trying to pass off their marketing efforts as a new way of doing business. A lot of people clicking on a petition or texting their feedback is important, but until organizations embrace the community and recognize their contributions fully, little will change. With that in mind, we’re looking at how we can distribute responsiblity around serious issues – giving individuals and communities (online and offline) real responsibility when it comes to solving the healthcare crisis, cleaning up the environment, or whatever. We’ll be tackling some big issues in this session, crafting some real strategies for changing the world through media and technology.
If you think changing institutions like government and business is a big undertaking, try our education system. Well, that’s what Sam Grogg from the University of Miami School of Communication and his stage setters — Nick Chiaia from UPI, Jody Brannon of News 21 and Krista Van Tassel from Net Impact are going to try and tackle. Consensus seems to be that our educational system, from pre-K to post-grad will require significant updates if it is going to keep up with the crowd of digital natives that is growing up, and expecting more. How do you re-imagine journalism and communication education for a culture in which virtually everyone has access to the tools of media production and distribution and anyone can contribute to the global flow of information? How should universities train the next generation of communicators, journalists and story-tellers, who should they train, and what outcome should this education produce? If anyone can answer these questions, its this group.
And lastly, we’ll feature a conversation with the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, CEO of The Hip Hop Caucus, and Donna Shalala, president of the University of Miami about how leadership changes in a connected society. These two dynamic leaders may sit atop very different organizations, but their challenges are not that different — and they share a desire to have an impact on the world, now and for generations to come. We’ll listen in as they offer some guidance to today’s leaders, and the generation of leaders that is just now emerging.
These are just a few highlights — as I have been saying all week on the blog, WeMedia is filled with workshops, caucuses, and discussions about how the future will unfold — whether its news, or government, education or our culture. The fact that our society is connected, and moving faster than ever, impacts us all. The discussions at WeMedia next week will help us to understand how – and what we are supposed to do about it..
One more day of previews on the blog — tomorrow I’ll talk some about the “Thinking Papers” we’ll be issuing this year, the coverage that Rachel Sterne and the team from GroundReport will provide, and how our Rapporteurs will break down the proceedings. What you will hear coming out of WeMedia, whether you are in Miami or participating from afar, won’t sound like any other conference you tune in for — and that’s the whole idea.
And of course, next week, we’ll be providing behind the scenes coverage from WeMedia and insights from those who are gathering for the big event.
Stay tuned.
Brian is Managing Director of little m media which provides strategic guidance and support to organizations around the use of the internet and technology to facilitate communications, engagement, education, and mobilization.