The future of digital media in these exciting times of AI-led transformation will be up for deep discussions and lively brainstorming as luminaries, policymakers, and stakeholders will assemble in a melting pot of ideas at the DNPA Conclave and Awards 2024 at Shangri La, New Delhi, on February 6.

Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, and former NITI Aayog CEO, will deliver timely addresses, charting out the road ahead for digital media organisations, as policy-shapers seek to democratise the relationship between news publishers and Big Tech platforms.

Recognized for its role in promoting credible news and safeguarding the cause of the growth of the news industry, the conclave is being organised by DNPA in association with Network 18 Group this time.  

Digital News Publishers Association of India (DNPA), is an apex industry body of the digital arms of India's top 18 new publishers from Print & Electronic Media. They include Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar, The Indian Express, Malayalam Manorama, Eenadu Television, India Today, Amar Ujala, Hindustan Times, Zee Media, ABP Network, Lokmat, Times of India, NDTV, Express Network, Mathrubhumi, The Hindu, India TV and Network 18. 

ALL EYES ON EY REPORT

The high point will be the launch of a report by Ernst & Young (EY) on the digital media business, titled: ‘Preview of Digital News Publishing in India’. It is expected to give industry insiders a close look at which way the digital news media industry is headed. The EY report is awaited by stakeholders debating how publishers should adapt to the increasing digitalisation of the news business.

Leading international experts will light up the one-of-its-kind gala, including Elena Perotti, Executive Director, Media Policy and Public Affairs, WAN-IFRA; Florian Nehm, Senior Advisor, Axel Springer; and Paul Deegan, President and CEO of News Media Canada, among others.

The line-up of corporate leaders at the conclave includes Abhay Bhutada, Managing Director, Poonawalla Fincorp; Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder and Executive Vice-Chairman, Info Edge; and Shubhranshu Singh, CMO, Tata Motors. Prominent journalists Shekhar Gupta and Vikram Chandra will add weight to the panel discussions. Participation of social media influencer Arvind Arora and editors of top news publishers in discussions on Media trust and issues of credibility would be a session for all to tune in to.

The DNPA initiative underlines India’s ongoing efforts in seeking to rein in Big Tech platforms for their sweeping presence in the country’s digital landscape. India is on the cusp of rolling out a forward-looking Digital India Act to help policymakers create a more level-playing field in the digital space that includes tech titans, smaller competitors, news media companies, and netizens.

WHAT’S LINED UP
MeitY Minister of State Chandrasekhar will kick off the day-long conclave with a keynote address. It will be followed by an engaging timeline featuring speeches on the future of digital media, fireside chats, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and a welcome exchange of ideas.

The line-up of special addresses includes Elena Perotti, Florian Nehm, Abhay Bhutada, S Krishnan, Secretary at MeitY, and Apurva Chandra, Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Fireside chats and panel discussions will delve into topics like ‘State of Media: The Big Picture’, ‘Cracking Equitable Models in Digital Media’, ‘Editor’s Opinion: Journalism in this Age’, ‘Media Trust in the Digital Age: Balancing Influence and Integrity’, ‘Adapting Media Business Strategies to the Digital Tsunami’, ‘Lives and Livelihoods: Navigating Job Transformation in the AI Age’, and ‘Crisis facing the News Industry and the Battle for Rights, Remuneration and Rebalance’.

G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant will wrap up the sessions with a keynote address, followed by the annual awards ceremony that will cap the big night. Innovators who scripted success stories in the field of digital transformation will be awarded by DNPA in recognition of their contribution towards technological innovations that benefit netizens.

TIMELY AND UNIQUE CONCLAVE

Speaking about the initiative, D J Narain President of DNPA said that the conclave is a unique platform created by all the  18 members to discuss and brainstorm various issues concerning the growth of credible news and digital media in the country with all the stakeholders in India and abroad. He said that the DNPA conclave is evolving into a robust platform of ideas and thought exchange on the growth of the digital media ecosystem.

The DNPA is an umbrella platform that represents the digital businesses of India’s 18 major news media publishers. Sujata Gupta, its general secretary, hailed recent developments in the global digital media space. “The conclave comes at a time when we’re witnessing success stories of news publishers getting justice in the digital domain where they share space with Big Tech platforms. Look at the US, Germany, Canada; look at some major publishers out there – we see a heartening democratisation of the publisher-platform relationship,” she said.