ACCELERATE "Connecting Sport & Innovation" is a unique platform connecting International Sports Organisations (ISOs) with high-tech innovators and providing support to various innovation initiatives. A series of exclusive workshops is organised on a yearly basis around a topic of particular interest with the objective to address sport-specific issues. Prior to each workshop a preparatory study is conducted. Through individual interviews with ISOs and with key actors in the sector, the study aims to understand the specific challenges and needs of all the stakeholders. Based on the results of the study, the content of the workshop is designed with the objective to bring real value to the participants and to facilitate connections between the world of sport and the innovation actors.

In 2017, WAN-IFRA partnered with AISTS, Innovaud, EPFL+ECAL Lab and the Stockholm School of Economics on a programme focusing on Public Engagement and Media. With the current fast pace of technology evolution, sports viewership is drastically changing and media technology is opening up a new revolution in sport. Today, digital transformation dictates the evolution of media by regulating access to content and to data consumers, and redefines market players’ cash flows. In particular, the simultaneous emergence of virtual reality, 360-degree images, big data management technologies and social media are radically changing the spectators’ experience, enhancing their relationship with events, as well as with athletes. This will lead, therefore, to a profound transformation of current business models. 120 media and sports professionals attended the conference and the workshops held at the Swisstech Convention Center in Lausanne. An executive summary of the event can be found at the following link aists.org

More than 60 participants attended the GAMI roundtable on Research in the Nordics at WAN-IFRA’s Digital Media Europe conference in Copenhagen (24 - 26 April).

The panel included presentations by Carl Gustav Linden, University of Helsinki, Finland , Freddy Aursjø, CEO, Lighthouse8, Norway , Trine Nielsen, Director, Danish School of Journalism and Media, Denmark, Johan Hoffman, Project and Innovation Manager, Gothia Science Park, Sweden, Torbjörn Svensson, PhD student, University of Skövde, Sweden, Kim Svendsen, Director, Stibo Accelerator, Denmark, Kerstin Bach, Associate Professor, NTNU, Norway

GAMI partnered with the World Virtual Reality Forum, an association based in Geneva, to organise a special VR Journalism Masterclass during the 3 days of their annual Summit that took place in Crans Montana, 11 - 14 May.

9 journalists (all WAN-IFRA members) participated for free to this event, which was a 3-way collaboration that included WVRF, WAN-IFRA and The Journalism School at the University of Neuchâtel, a GAMI strategic affiliate partners. 3 teams were formed to create a 360° journalistic production to present on the main stage on the last day of the conference.

The Roundtable on Media Innovation and Sports gathered 50 delegates from the World News Media Congress and World Editors Forum. Topics discussed included a discussion on why sports news will play a crucial role in media innovation. Journalists, Editors, designers, photographers and the whole news desk should play a key role in these innovations and form the future of news. In Durban, GAMI also introduced the SportsNews Lab, an international foundation for research and innovation in sports news and technology initiated by WAN-IFRA and AISTS, the sport education center established in Lausanne by the International Olympic Committee. The goal of the Roundtable was to share knowledge and insights about the current situation and strategies, exchange on recent experience in the media industry, and identify joint initiatives to collaborate with the SportsNews Lab project.

The Congress session « Innovation from the Lab » included six presentations by John Mills, Lecturer and researcher at the Media Innovation Studio at UCLan (« NewsThings: Internet of Things and News »), Andrea Wagemans, INJECT Project Coordinator at WAN-IFRA (« Report on Media Labs »), Dr. Mats Nylund, Programme Director, MA in Media Management, Arcada University of Applied Sciences (« Blockchain ripples media waters »), Nicolas Henchoz, Director, EPFL+ECAL Lab (« Sports news innovation »)

The panel Session «Preparing for the 2020’s» was extremely well attended with presentations and discussions on advanced methods to find the fake news patterns ("Fighting fake news: algorithms as a tool for truth ?"), the presentation of a new free browser plugin to help journalists verify images and videos and debunk fake news by InVid, a debate on the development of Artificial Intelligence applied to news, and latest update on advanced initiatives to integrate startups in news organisation and accelerate innovation in legacy media.

25 startups participated in the first startup Park launched by GAMI at WAN-IFRA DCX Expo. A catalogue of technology showcased in Berlin is available on media-innovation.news . Topics covered by tech entrepreneurs attending the Startup Park focus #personalisation #engagement #socialmediaverification #monetisation #fakenews.

MEDIA FREEDOM AND INNOVATION AT EXPO

Following four regional workshops held in Africa, Asia, Latin America and MENA, WAN-IFRA’s Strengthening Media and Society (SMS) participants were asked to “think big” and come up with innovation projects with a social impact. The eight finalists were presented in Berlin from 9-11 October, where grants will be awarded to go towards implementing the projects in newsrooms.