Annual Media Question Time Event Just Days Away

The annual MediaTel Media Question Time is just a couple of days away. Like an England Football squad, the MQT panel has seen a couple of enforced late changes, but we have a final panel that promises some very lively debate on Monday evening.

Lining up to answer your questions are:

Jim Hytner, commercial director of ITV – two weeks away from launching ITV’s most revolutionary facelift in fifty years, and with a more than tricky year in TV behind him, how does Jim see the future of ITV and indeed of UK TV? Will there still be UK-owned TV companies in a few years time? And how do you cope with life Jim when the press keeps telling you that both ITV and Man Utd are in decline?

Mike Anderson, recently-appointed MD of the Evening Standard – fair reward for taking Associated’s Metro to over 830,000 copies in 8 key cities, and scooping industry Brand of the Year awards along the way. Will there be another Metro in the newspaper world? How much longer can some of the suffering national brands hang on? How does Mike view his old agency stomping ground three years since leaving PHD?

Simon Rees, departing chief-executive of Mindshare – Simon’s overseen the implementation and development of the Mindshare brand, since his move from Carat in 1998. Now, this will be Simon’s first public engagement after he leaves the company – leaves this week, back addressing media people by Monday evening! Is this smart timing to be leaving the agency world? Does Simon see a future of even greater consolidation? And what did Martin Sorrell say to him when he mentioned he was off.

Ed Straw, media partner at PwC (now IBM Business Consulting Services) – Ed has been PwC’s media guru for a number of years now, speaking at many UK and international conferences. What advice is he offering his clients about the future media landscape? Has he any insight on whether the Government has got any nearer to understanding the intricacies of UK media? Why is TV to be treated differently to radio? And how could any company ever want to re-brand as Monday?

Andy Jonesco, VP of interactive marketing at AOL UK – Andy didn’t stay long enough to witness the Desmond-reign at Express, but now he’s back spearheading another media owner. What lessons from his newspaper days can he bring to this 1% medium? A year or so on, how does he now view the print world? How does it feel to be working for the Time-Warner empire? And does Andy still fill his office with Batman memorabilia?

This year’s Media Question Time will be sponsored by ITV Network and MediaGuardian.co.uk. Click here for more details.