Eighth edition of the Biel-Bienne Communication Days, 20 - 21 October 2009, at the Kongresshaus Biel-Bienne
Communication rules the world. Its breakneck technical development is reshaping societies - and business models. Anyone who wants to succeed in business has to show an interest in the whole range of new, converging technologies, however complex they may be. The Biel-Bienne Communication Days are part of this dynamic. They put market trends at the heart of the debate and invite renowned speakers to comment on them.
Comdays' strengths are the top-quality speakers, a parallel programme of events and perfect organisation. The schedule for the two days is packed, innovative and exciting. The agreeable, stimulating environment creates an atmosphere which encourages encounters and networking, particularly during ComNight, which showcases the best of cuisine and comedy. In parallel, the "openaxs" association is organising an event on the subject of optical fibre (Fibre To The Home – FTTH)
The speakers in Bienne come from the worlds of industry, the media and politics; they include Joschka Fischer, former German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, Swiss Federal Councillor, Carsten Schloter from Swisscom, Christoph Brand from Sunrise, Eric Tveter from Cablecom, Hans Peter Rohner from Publigroupe and Marc Walder from Ringier. The moderator is Christine Maier, from the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SF/SRG).
The first day, 20 October, is dedicated to the use and utility of telecommunications networks. In the mobile telephony sector, the GSM licences are raising some delicate questions. The general impression is that everyone is now betting on this type of equipment to ensure that in future communications are exclusively mobile. The consequences and limits of this evolution will be the subject of several presentations. It is interesting to note the parallel boom in optical fibre. All the operators want to upgrade their networks and this raises questions about the limits, profitability and commercial value of the home broadband service. Henceforth the question will also concern towns and cities, electricity utilities and landlords, who are taking an active part in the discussions.
As for the media, they are currently confronting some special challenges. On the one hand the way in which they are being used has changed radically: online offerings are putting pressure on print media; free news and entertainment are the order of the day and advertising is gaining a foothold. Publishers are well aware of this: it is not a crisis but it is a new state of affairs. How are they reacting? What are the most promising business models? How much is this development affecting the quality of journalism? These are all questions which will dominate the second day of Comdays on 21 October. Positive experience acquired in Scandinavia will be presented and commented upon with an eye to the Swiss media market.
Die 8. Ausgabe der Comdays, die seit der Expo 02 in Biel stattfinden, muss sich in einem derzeit schwierigen wirtschaftlichen Umfeld behaupten. Obwohl die Organisatoren, die Publigroupe S.A., die Stadt Biel, die Hasler Stiftung und das Bundesamt für Kommunikation (BAKOM) finanzielle und substanzielle Unterstützung bieten, können die Comdays nicht auf Sponsoren und Partner verzichten. Stiftungsratspräsident Hans Stöckli, Nationalrat und Stadtpräsident von Biel - Bienne und Marc Furrer, Präsident der Eidgenössischen Kommunikationskommission (ComCom), verantwortlich für das Programm, glauben denn auch mit "Premium Incentives & Events AG" den richtigen Partner für eine nachhaltige Zusammenarbeit mit den Sponsoren gefunden zu haben. Rund 700 interessierte Personen haben im letzten Jahr die Comdays besucht. Die Ausgabe 2009 verspricht ein gleichwertiges Programm, das sich die Akteure der Informationsgesellschaft kaum entgehen lassen dürfen.The eighth edition of Comdays, which has been held in Biel-Bienne since Expo 02, will take place in a difficult economic context. It is true that the organisers – Publigroupe S.A, the town of Biel-Bienne, the Hasler Foundation and the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) – are providing financial and material support, but the event cannot survive without sponsors and partners. The president of the foundation’s council, Hans Stöckli, National Councillor and mayor of the town of Biel-Bienne, and Marc Furrer, President of the Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) and the person responsible for the programme, believe that in the company "Premium Incentives & Events AG" they have found the ideal partner for encouraging long-term cooperation with sponsors. Some 700 people took part in Comdays last year. The 2009 edition also offers a programme of excellent quality – one which will be indispensable to all the players in the information society.
