Green light for MIP

After a little bit of worry, I'm delighted to say that Reed MIDEM have now confirmed that the AIB's press registration has been cleared!

Thanks, Audrey, for sorting this out...

MIPTV...does it beckon for AIB?

In a couple of weeks time, the annual MIPTV programme market gets underway in Cannes. It's the gathering of the TV industry across Europe, and much of the rest of the world, too, where deals are done on content and discussions on the future of media are held.

I'm delighted to see that AIB's old friend Joanna Shields will be on stage with Elisabeth Murdoch, talking about the new company Shine has launched in the new media arena.

Joanna Shields has been a guest at the AIBs - the international media excellence awards - most recently last year where I interviewed her on stage (picture right).

Each year AIB reports from MIPTV for its members and the wider audience that AIB has in the media industry around the world. However, as in previous years, the organisers - Paris-based Reed Midem - seem to make it harder for me to register as a member of the press to enable us to cover their event for our global audience of more than 25,000 people. Send us by-lined articles, they say. Prove you do what you say, they ask.

All this for an organisation that's been reporting on global media since 1993, with a print publication - The Channel - that reaches more than 6,500 regular subscribers in TV, radio, online and mobile in over 150 countries worldwide.

Let's hope the registration comes through. I wonder if they treat everyone who wants to cover the event in the same way? It's rather discouraging and difficult to write positive, enthusiastic stories when one is treated like this...

Meanwhile, our colleagues at 1GOAL which AIB is supporting this year, has secured a stand at MIPTV which will enable it to build on the work we've been helping with - recruiting broadcasters to air material to build the world's largest campaign to support education for all. That's one positive story we can report.

So, with luck, AIB will see you in Cannes...over to you, Reed Midem.

Russia - media definitely interesting

My first visit to Russia has been an eye-opener. Despite the bitterly cold weather, my welcome by everyone involved in the Digital TV Russia conference, and people from the media here, has been overwhelmingly warm.

It seems to me that the Russian media industry has been sold some slightly dubious promises by firms in the West, who are keen to make cash in this new-ish media market, while not providing all the facts. I'm reporting to AIB members about this and providing some analysis in the next edition of our member-only market intelligence briefing.

Meanwhile, it's been a great few days here with lots to see and do, and much to learn about the media industry from insiders. Great contacts made on behalf of AIB members and I'm looking forward to my next visit - perhaps when the weather's warmer.

Moscow calling

I'm preparing to travel to Moscow - now on BMI rather than BA (and working out how to cope with a far lower baggage allowance!). I will be taking part in the Digital TV Russia symposium which AIB has agreed to support, as well as meeting a range of broadcasters and others involved in the media scene in Russia.

It's definitely a trip I'm looking forward to as I have not been to Moscow before. I will have to find some time to do the tourist stuff of Red Square and have a go on the metro.

You will be able to read my paper on the AIB website from 1200GMT on Monday 22 March.

I'm also going to be trying out new presentation software that I saw in action earlier this week at the Social TV Forum. Paul Bristow, VP Strategy at Swiss-based ADB, makes use of Prezi and I was very impressed. I'm experimenting with it at the moment and will be using it for real for the first time in Moscow on Monday. Wish me luck!

BA - just what do the initials stand for?

I'm a bit disgruntled. Having learnt that the flight I am due to travel to Moscow is one of the ones that is apparently not surviving the British Airways cabin crew strike, I rang BA to try and get on to an earlier flight that is still going.

I waited, listening to the same 20 bars of music and same announcements saying how wonderful BA is, for more than two and a half hours. And then...I was cut off. I should have known that would happen.

Now it's impossible to get through - the message "we're experiencing extremely high call volumes" is the only thing you can get at the moment.

At this rate, getting to Moscow could prove challenging. Is it time to switch allegiance from OneWorld to Star Alliance of SkyTeam?

Chairing and presenting, meeting and discussing

It's been a busy few weeks and it looks as though the coming weeks will be equally busy.

From visits to Barcelona and New Delhi comes lots of follow-up work to do and I'm slowly managing to catch up with everything. And now I'm heading off to chair the Social TV Forum in London on 16 March and then to Moscow - BA strikes permitting - to speak about digital TV around the world at the 3rd Digital TV Russia summit.

On top of all that, my colleagues and I are working hard on the preparations for this year's AIBs - the international media excellence awards - that we are launching in mid-April. This is the sixth year of the AIBs and I have a feeling that this year will be the best yet. We're making sure that more programme makers know about the awards than ever before and are looking forward to a bumper crop of entries.

And then there's all the research work we're doing for our market intelligence briefings that AIB members around the world receive.

It's probably a good thing that the sun is shining...it makes for a more inspirational working environment which leads to getting more things done!