MediaTel Group’s The Year Ahead 2010

MediaTel Group’s Year Ahead 2010 event, held yesterday in central London, proved to be a great success for a second year running.

Over 160 senior media executives turned out to network, drink a glass or two of wine and hear what the BBC’s media correspondent Torin Douglas and media commentator Raymond Snoddy had to say about the highs and lows of 2009, and the prospects for 2010.

Click here to view photos from The Year Ahead 2010.

The event was operated under Chatham House Rules, so details will remain unreported, but these two top media commentators – who between them have more than enough experience and know-how to genuinely talk the talk – answered audience questions covering the broadcast industry; media regulation; newspapers; editors; paywalls and meters; Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn; vending machines;  stars and turkeys of 2009, and of course, some thoughts for 2010.

The event, chaired by MediaTel Group MD Derek Jones, also attracted a number of questions and comments from the audience.  Not surprisingly, News International’s Dominic Carter had some views on much-anticipated paywalls; City AM‘s Lawson Muncaster talked of newspapers’ strengths and opportunities (at great length!); HMDG’s Greg Grimmer asked about the BBC’s Project Canvas venture, and Starcom MediaVest’s Jim Marshall had his own thoughts on regulation and the DCMS, as did Panmure Gordon analyst Alex DeGroote.

Richard Bullwinkle, chief evangelist at Rovi, the event sponsor, started the proceedings with some future-gazing predictions. He described the value and opportunity of  powering the discovery and enjoyment of digital entertainment; which is at the core of Rovi’s own business, and then gave some thoughts on the tablet – which would mean not just TV everywhere, but “media everywhere” – and on 3D TV – exciting experience, but don’t hold your breath, and unlikely to see real growth for a couple of years yet (apart from in gaming).

Click here to find out more about upcoming MediaTel Group events.