Broadband TV News talks to Dieter Brockmeyer about the Global Media Innovator award.
How is the Global Media Innovator different from all the other awards?
We talk about THE Innovator! There was a true inflation of awards mostly connected to some industry organization or trade show – following their own agenda. We aim at contrasting that with a more independent approach. An independent Think Tank like the Diplomatic Council seems to be the natural platform for such an approach! It’s a tech or marketing award. We are looking at convergence, it can be tech, a new platform, a new way to create or present content. It must not come from the media industry – all that counts is potential impact and to be disruptive.
No one can apply for the Innovator. The organizations and networks behind our global leadership board members come up with the suggestions every year. Moreover, we do not hand out a trophy. The previous two innovators received an art object by Ulrike Bolenz, an internationally renowned artist who has works in the MoMa collection. That’s more a symbol, I guess. However, it illustrates how we are working.
How does the jury select the award?
Now, we are closing the collection of suggestions. As I said, they’re coming exclusively from our board’s networks. In a first voting round each board member picks one candidate that’s not coming from his network, so we’ll have a shortlist of up to eight candidates. This is followed by hot but fruitful debate until the board comes up with the annual Innovator, who will receive the honor at the Diplomatic Council’s annual Gala on 2nd February in Frankfurt.
The media world is currently full of disruptors, and everyone seems to be uncertain of the future – how does the GMI play a part in this process?
Well, that’s exactly where we are joining in, helping with orientation and contribution for people to understand better what’s (possibly) going on. On the other hand, we want to help discover these great ideas which are worth to be discovered. We want to make our voice heard in the ongoing process creating our future. The world can be a better place if we take responsibility and act now.
What exactly is the Diplomatic Council?
We are actually quite a unique organization, a hybrid of business club, think tank and charity organization. We’re a young organization, only six years old now with consultative status to the United Nations, since two years. Our origins are in Germany and the Netherlands with quite some dynamics expanding into other parts of the world. This also provides a unique chance for the Global Media Forum within the DC to use the courage and expertise we have in the Innovator board and our Alumni to start global initiatives. However, that’s lore of the future and a long way still to accomplish!
