Wolfgang Closs

European Audiovisual Observatory - Executive Director

Set up in December 1992, the European Audiovisual Observatory is a European public service organisation whose mission is to foster transparency in the European audiovisual sector and provide information services to policy makers and audiovisual professionals. Its membership consists at present of 36 European States and the European Community, represented by the European Commission. The Observatory functions within the legal framework of the Council of Europe and operates in collaboration with its information network: partners, correspondents and professional organisations. The Observatory’s principle areas of activity are film, television, video/DVD, new audiovisual media services and public policy on film and television. It provides information on markets, financing and legal aspects of the audiovisual sector. This information is made available through print publications, online services, databases and presentations made at international conferences and workshops.

http://www.obs.coe.int/

Annette Kümmel

ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG - Senior Vice President Media Policy

The ProSiebenSat.1 Group is with its 26 free TV channels one of Europe’s leading broadcasting groups. The company’s core business is free TV, television financed through advertising. The Group benefits from its competitive advantages: a complementary programming of its TV channels and broad target groups. In order to broaden continuously its value chain and diversify its sources of revenues, the Group relies on attractive TV content and strong TV brands. Through the multi-use of content and brands on different platforms like internet, mobile TV or games, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group leverages resources much more efficiently and reaps additional value. Germany’s largest video-on-demand portal maxdome, as well as interests in innovative Internet services like MyVideo and lokalisten, are among the activities with which ProSiebenSat.1 Group has increasingly been diversifying its sources of revenue.

In June 2007, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group has acquired the SBS Broadcasting Group and has around 6.000 employees Europe-wide. The Company operates in 13 European countries and is headquartered in Unterföhring/Munich. It is included in the German MDAX.



http://en.prosiebensat1.com

Gottfried Langenstein

ARTE GEIE’s President

ARTE (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne) is a Franco-German TV network, launched in March 1992. Described as an European culture channel, ARTE aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts.
As it is an international joint venture, programs cater technically to audiences from both countries. This implies double-titling, opposite-language subtitling and dubbing, hosts speaking both languages alternately, and generally two separate audio tracks.
ARTE headquarters are sited in Strasbourg. Other facilities are located in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, and Baden-Baden in Germany.

http://www.arte.tv

Jean Réveillon

European Broadcasting Union (EBU) - Director General.

The European Broadcasting Union is the largest association of national broadcasters in the world. EBU promote cooperation between broadcasters and facilitate the exchange of audiovisual content. It works to ensure that the crucial role of public service broadcasters is recognised and taken into consideration by decision-makers.
EBU represent 75 active members, public broadcasters from 56 countries in and around Europe, as well as 45 associate members around the world.


http://www.ebu.ch/

Will Wyatt

Goodwill Associates (Media) Ltd.
Director of Vitec Group plc and Racing UK Ltd, and trustee of the Services Sound and Vision Corporation.

Will Wyatt takes over as chair of the Teaching Awards Trust in October 2008. He has just stepped down after six years as chairman of the media research and strategy company Human Capital Ltd. From 1999-2007 he was also chairman of the University of the Arts London.
Formerly Will Wyatt worked as journalist, producer and executive at the BBC, where he was Head of Documentaries and Features through the eighties then Managing Director Television 1991-1996 and Chief Executive Broadcast 1996-1999, responsible for the BBC’s UK television, radio and internet services, including the launch of digital channels, and was deputy to the Director General.
From 1998-1999 he was Vice-President of the European Broadcasting Union and from 2000-2004 President of the Royal Television Society.