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Dec 06 2010

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Gerd Leonhard Predicts a Radically Different Future for the Media and Content Industries

Leonhard, described by the Wall Street Journal as one of the world's leading media futurists, shared his bold predictions for the future of the media and content industries with nearly 500 people as part of ictQATAR 's Connected Speakers Series.

"In the content industries, we are going from selling copies, whether physical or digital such as books and CDs, to selling access, such as bundled music offerings where music is included in internet access. This is painful if you made money selling paper or plastic, but it is as inevitable as the switch from horse-drawn carriage to the railroad. And there is lots of new money to be made in selling access to the content-clouds," said Leonhard.

"Without a doubt, data is the new oil. Over 4 billion connected users will generate zetabytes of data, every single day, by commenting, rating, tagging, forwarding, uploading and sharing content. Every marketer, every brand, every telco and every mobile operator will want to get to this data, and be allowed to use it," he said. "The consumer will be more powerful than ever before, and - just like oil - many difficult situations will arise from the use, such as the discovery, the mining, and the refining of data. In any case, data will emerge as the most important asset of the next decade."

Leonhard is the co-author of the influential book 'The Future of Music,' as well as the author of 'Music2.0' and the blog-book 'The End of Control.' He is considered a leading expert on a range of topics, including social media, mobile content and commerce, innovation and entrepreneurship, copyright, licensing and IPR issues, next-generation advertising, marketing and branding, digital content strategies and the development of next-generation business models in the content, communications & technology industries.

In concluding his presentation, Leonhard said "The future of business and media is all about interconnected business models that generate mutual benefits for everyone. The era of 'egosystems' such as walled, controlled, centralized and RoI-obsessed businesses, is rapidly closing. Now it's all about creating powerful ecosystems that are built on openness, standards, transparency, trust and decentralization. Think Google versus AT&T, or Twitter versus FoxNews."

The Connected Speakers Series was launched in 2009 and brings global and regional thought leaders to Qatar to address some of the hottest issues in ICT and how technology is changing our lives. To date, it has addressed social media, green technology and the future of the internet, with more exciting lectures being planned for 2011.

-Ends-

ABOUT ictQATAR
The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology ( ictQATAR ) connects people to the technologies that enrich their lives, drive economic development and inspire confidence in the future. ictQATAR is entrusted with two primary authorities: as the country's independent and fair regulator of the telecommunications market, and as the government body that nurtures innovative technologies to benefit those who live and work in Qatar.

CONTACT
Communications Executive Director
Howaida Nadim
T +974 44995323
F +974 44995352
M +974 55873227
email: hnadim@ict.gov.qa

Outreach & Public Awareness Manager
Fathy Kassem
T +974 44995343
F +974 44995352
M + 974 55395730
email: fkassem@ict.gov.qa
www. ictQATAR .qa

© Press Release 2010