Content, innovation, and technology are three keywords when Media City Bergen, TV 2 Sporten, and Ennem collaborate on an entirely new initiative. The goal is to gather different skills and interests into a common arena for professional and social events.
– With this initiative in the cluster community join forces aiming to launch a wide range of high-quality sessions that will be attractive both national and international, says Vegard Jansen Hagen, Sports Editor at TV 2.
The need for a joint arena
There is an increasing need for an arena within sports journalism for professional replenishment and knowledge. There is also a desire to establish educational programs for sports journalism.
In the long run, this will strengthen the recruitment to the various publishers and broadcasters in general, and to sports journalism in particular.
– We need more talents within sports journalism, and especially within investigative sports journalism. In addition, we are administering international sports rights, at the same time as we are growing our home field for the future for all Norwegian sports. Therefore, we need to recruit the best talents to be able to offer great sports moments and influential sports journalism for our audience in the future, says Jansen Hagen.
Trond Ahlsen, General Manager of Ennem, and one of the initiators of the initiative, thinks that the timing for launching a conference within sports journalism is perfect.
– The Norwegian golden age in sports is inextricably linked to what we can refer to as a golden age in Norwegian sports media, such as new players, larger newsrooms, continuous development of new products, and increased production volume. Despite the scope and importance of sports production in this country, there is no common arena where key players meet for discussion, cooperation, and professional development. This is what we want to establish, says Ahlsen.
Collaboration
– This conference has exceptional potential in regards to partners like the Media Cluster, the major newsrooms, the technology companies, the Norwegian Sports Journalists' Association, and the different educational institutions. This is an inspiring collaboration where content meets technology and innovation. When these players join forces, everyone will benefit, Hagen concludes.
Combining learning with the red carpet
The new sports journalism conference will be held annually, gathering sports journalists from both national and international publishers and broadcasters, and where the Sports Journalists' Association also will contribute with exciting content to the conference. The Sports Journalists' Association will also add its newly established, annual award ceremony to the conference.
– There is already a lot of good sports journalism. Nevertheless, we have high expectations of what this conference can mean for further development. We aim to provide both daytime inspiring and varied content and great discussions, and evening red carpet, awards, and inspiration from leading sports journalists and sports productions, Hagen concludes.
More info on both Future Week and the sports journalism conference will follow soon, so stay tuned.