The user is the content

‘The user is the content’ was a debate that took place on April 26 in Antwerp, Belgium, and focussed on the impact of user generated content on traditional media, publishers and cultural organisations. What about the copyright? And what about the future?

During the debate nine experts presented future scenarios on cyberspace and the implications this may have for the user. Their presentations are now online.

• Jan Bierhoff, director of the European Centre for Digital Communication
  “Source Generated Content; the next big thing” (mp3, 13:41, 12.6 mb)
   
• David Osimo, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies
  “2020: The user is the public service … or not?” (mp3, 14:49, 13.6 mb)
  -> presentation (MS PowerPoint, 1.75 mb)
   
• John Buckman, founder and ceo of Magnatune
  “Ray Kurzweil vs. Bruce Sterling or… The Singularity vs. Blobjects” (mp3, 15:28, 14.2 mb)
  -> presentation (Adobe Acrobat, 1.75 mb)
   
• Loïc Lemeur, former director SixApart EMEA
  “The future of TV content” (mp3, 16:29, 15.2 mb)
  -> online notes
  -> video
   
• Bob Young, founder and ceo of LuLu.com
  “The concept of the free market” (mp3, 13:49, 12.7 mb)
   
• Clo Willaerts, marketing and communications manager of Skynet
  “The Internet will eat itself” (mp3, 10:52, 10 mb)
  -> online notes
   
• Dick Rijcken, freelance consultant new media
  “The challenges for the cultural sector in 2020” (mp3, 14:39, 13.5 mb)
   
• Paul Gerhardt (BBC Creative Archive)
  “A scenario for creativity” (mp3, 15:44, 14.5 mb)
  -> presentation (MS PowerPoint, 0.3 mb)
  -> video (wmv, 4:34, 24.2 mb)
   
• Stuart Nolan
  “People Made Stuff: Citizen Players vs. Centrifugal Bumble Puppy” (mp3, 16:10, 14.9 mb)
  -> presentation (MS PowerPoint 6.4 mb)
  -> online notes

The event was co-organised by De Buren, a Dutch-Flemish forum for debate on cultural diversity, society and politics in Europe, and C.H.I.P.S., an organisation that promotes cultural initiatives that focus on new media, communication and participation.