IGF 2021 WS #32
How Audiovisual Content drives Internet Growth

Organizer 1: Bertrand Mouillier, International Federation of Film Producers Association [FIAPF]
Organizer 2: BERTRAND MOULLIER, FIAPF
Organizer 3: Dana Pohl, Polish Producers Alliance KIPA

Speaker 1: Lise Romanoff, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 2: Alicja Grawon-Jaksik, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Alexandra Galvis, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Moderator

Bertrand Mouillier, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Online Moderator

Charlotte Lund Thomsen, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Rapporteur

Bertrand Mouillier, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Format

Round Table - U-shape - 90 Min

Policy Question(s)

Economic and social inclusion and sustainable development: What is the relationship between digital policy and development and the established international frameworks for social and economic inclusion set out in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in treaties such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Conventions on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, on the Rights of the Child, and on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities? How do policy makers and other stakeholders effectively connect these global instruments and interpretations to national contexts?
Inclusion, rights and stakeholder roles and responsibilities: What are/should be the responsibilities of governments, businesses, the technical community, civil society, the academic and research sector and community-based actors with regard to digital inclusion and respect for human rights, and what is needed for them to fulfil these in an efficient and effective manner?

This opportunity-focused workshop, a collaboration between the International Federation of Film Producers Associations [FIAPF] and the Polish Audiovisual [KIPA], will consider the contribution of the professional audiovisual content industries, both locally and globally, to fostering economic growth through innovative and sustainable business models making full use of Internet technologies. In today’s digital economy, the audiovisual sector has come to play a prominent role in the demand for – and usage of – the Internet, dirving demand for services and attendant digital infrastructure and effectively joining the two sectors at the hip. Properly conceived and implemented Internet regulation and incentives can be instrumental in boosting the capability of these two allied sectors as efficient tools for economic growth and social inclusion.

One of the goals of effective Internet governance is to help ensure that the Internet flourishes and has value to those who use it. As the IGF Best Practice Forum on Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in 2015 and 2016 highlights, there is a two-way relation between local content and the growth and development of IXPs and the local Internet Infrastructure, which ultimately contributes to a higher quality and more affordable local Internet. It would be unrealistic to discuss digital inclusion and Internet growth without also discussing local content.

Consequently, there is a strategic imperative for Internet governance that favors the emergence and development of cultural and linguistic diversity through policies that enable the growth of sustainable local creative enterprise and talent. The production and the dissemination of local content is tied to the development of the Internet. Quality online content, and video content in particular, drives the adoption of Internet connection by consumers. This in turn supports greater investment in infrastructure.

The workshop will address principally the IGF 2021's Policy Question of Economic and Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development: it will kick off the discussions through initial short presentations and a sharing of experiences by a panel of seasoned professionals from Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe. They will present their respective business models and will discuss the extent to which – and in what forms - their growth has come to rely on local and global fixed and mobile Internet infrastructures to increase the efficiency of content production and distribution and to satisfy the fast-paced growth in local and global demand for audiovisual content. The session will also be relevant to the IGF theme of Inclusion, Rights and Stakeholder Roles and Responsibilities: the Audiovisual sector requires its rights, IP rights especially to be upheld and protected as a prerequisite to its achieving and maintaining economic sustainability and offer culturally and socially relevant content for local and global users. Internet services have a responsibility to cooperate with the audiovisual sector to ensure that content is licensed and rights are respected; this is a mutual interest that will benefit the growth and social relevance of both sectors in the long run.

The panel will examine how the local audiovisual content production and services’ sectors enabled by the Internet, participate proactively in technological innovation, the growth of skilled employment opportunities, and sustainable consumption and production; these observable benefits are wholly consistent with – and supportive of - the UN’s Millennium Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), which undergird some of IGF 2021’s main focus and cross-cutting areas and its policy questions.

Finally, the panel will explore and discuss the types of enabling Internet regulatory frameworks that they deem necessary to empower audiovisual sectors fully so they may fulfil their utilitarian functions as drivers of Internet adoption and contributors to social inclusion and economic growth inside a safe and secure Internet based on rule of law and accountability.

Chairperson:

Charlotte Lund Thomsen, DG, International Video Federation, Copenhagen, Dennark

Speakers:

Alicja Grawon-Jaksik, President, Polish Producers Alliance [KIPA]
Nana & Meme Kagga, joint CEOs Savannah Moon Productions, Kampala, Uganda
Alexandra Galvis, Film Distributor, BF Distribution, Santiago, Chile
Lise Romanoff, President & CEO, Vision Films, Los Angeles, USA (TBC)

Organisers:

FIAPF:

The International Federation of Film Producers Associations [FIAPF] FIAPF's members are 34 producer organizations from 27 countries, FIAPF is the only organization of film and television producers with a global reach. FIAPF's mandate is to represent the economic, legal and regulatory interests which film and TV production industries in five continents have in common. As an advocate for producers, FIAPF helps formulate policies and coordinate political action in these key areas:

Copyright and related intellectual property rights' legislation
Enforcement of IPR legislation and anti-piracy action
Deployment of digital technologies and their impact on the audiovisual value chain
Technology standardization process
Media regulation
Private and public sector film financing mechanisms
Trade-related issues

KIPA:

The Polish Producers Alliance [KIPA] is the only chamber of economy in the audiovisual sector in Poland, as well as one of the biggest independent business organisations with over 150 member entities. Among them are production companies that specialise in film, television and advertising, as well as film schools and regional film funds (RFF). Since its formation in 2000, KIPA has taken part in the development of Polish audio-visual industry. The main goal of KIPA is to represent economic interests of its members, especially before the government and the key players of the audio-visual market. The chamber facilitates the integration of producers, constitutes a platform for the exchange of experiences and cooperation, as well as delivers information about current amendments in legislation, including taxation, and about the most important events in the industry. It also provides access to legal services rendered by the best practitioners specialising in the issues pertaining to the audiovisual sector, and it shapes and popularises the principles of professional ethic. Moreover, it organises periodic trainings and workshops for professionals and promotes the work of its members.

SDGs

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth


Targets: The workshop will address principally the IGF 2021's Policy Question of Economic and Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development: it will do so through presentations and a sharing of experiences by a panel of seasoned professionals from Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe. They will present their respective business models and will discuss the extent to which – and in what forms - their growth has come to rely on local and global fixed and mobile Internet infrastructures to increase the efficiency of content production and distribution and to satisfy the fast-paced growth in local and global demand for audiovisual content.

The panel will examine how the local audiovisual content production and services’ sectors enabled by the Internet, participate proactively in technological innovation, the growth of skilled employment opportunities, and sustainable consumption and production; these observable benefits are wholly consistent with – and supportive of - the UN’s Millennium Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), which undergird some of IGF 2021’s main focus and cross-cutting areas and its policy questions.

Description:

This session is suitable for all IGF stakeholders with a desire to gain a broad perspective on the role of audiovisual content industries in driving Internet adoption and connectivity and in contributing to economic growth and social inclusion. The intersection between professional audiovisual production and distribution on the one hand, and the unprecedented access enabled by Internet infrastructures and services on the other, has made audiovisual content a powerful stimulant of sustainable demand for Internet services. Enlightened regulation and sustained incentives will be necessary in order to ensure that the sector fulfils its role as a driver for the growth of the Internet, especially in LDCs, where discrepancies continue to exist between a high level of demand for local content

In this session, participants will hear presentations and perspectives from five seasoned professionals working in the audiovisual sector in different countries and continents and will have the opportunity to engage them in discussions.

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcomes are as follows:

- To equip IGF participants listening and taking part in the discussion with a 360 degrees’ object lesson in the typology of business models pioneered and/or utilised by the audiovisual sector in order to meet fast-paced growth in demand for this most popular medium of cultural/informative/educational content;

- To elucidate the role played by developed local audiovisual sectors empowered by reliable Internet technologies in driving economic growth, social inclusion and cultural exchange

- To foster an understanding of the intersection points between the audiovisual sector and Internet technologies and services, as an area of vast new opportunities which also represent regulatory challenges relevant to the IGF’s gamut of issues

- To illustrate the importance of maintaining a strong IP promotion and protection framework in the context of the dissemination of audiovisual content on Internet services and networks

- To continue the work of integrating the role of the professional audiovisual sector in the deliberations of IGF on what constitutes appropriate, efficient, transparent and fair forms of regulation and incentives to facilitate professional audiovisual content reaching people through the Internet locally and globally through a diverse and dynamic set of business models, taking into account differences in purchasing power and socio-economic status;

- To invite further constructive discussions between the audiovisual sector and the various IGF stakeholders in future forums, including intersessional IGF events

- A condensed summary of the professional audiovisual sector’s views and suggestions for good regulation and incentives will be released coincidentally with the workshop and disseminated through the IGF network

In order to function optimally, the session needs to contain sufficient basic presentations on the workings of the professional audiovisual content production and distribution sector and the ways in which its growth drives the take up for Internet services. From this editorial base line, the U-shaped round table format will then encourage rich and informal exchanges with other participants, from different shades of experience, needs and representing other stakeholder groups. Our editorial plan will ensure that formal presentations will be short in order to leave ample space for discussions and exchanges of perspectives (see section b. below for detail).

Online Participation



Usage of IGF Official Tool. Additional Tools proposed: We will be showing up to tow short videos (between 2.5 and 4 minutes) illustrating aspects of the intersection between the Internet and audiovisual sectors, with perspectives from local content producers from regions other than those represented on the panel. This will ensure a wider and more three-dimensional perspective on how the Internet is creating both opportunites and challenges for local content production and distribution to achieve and maintain sustainability and contribute to job creation and GDP growth.