SPOT ON – locative media’ seminar

Locative media are digital media that concentrate on social interaction with a place and with technology. The focus in the SPOT ON seminar is on location data and its possible uses in journalism and storytelling. The seminar is organized by YLE New Media / Future Lab and Aalto University Media Factory.

The keynote speaker of the seminar is digital strategist and freelance journalist Kevin Anderson. He has been an online journalist since 1996, designing, editing and creating content for websites in both broadcast and print media. He has more than a decade of experience with the BBC and the Guardian.

”Location is like RSS. As a technology, it’s invisible to most users but it opens up a huge range of opportunities for publishers and audiences. – There are new services and revenue streams attached to location technology”, says Anderson. ”Location is about enabling the delivery of more relevant information to audiences. In a sea of information, relevance is valuable to audiences and to publishers wanting to increase revenue from digital content.”

Other confirmed speakers include Antti Rainio (National Land Survey of Finland, Mark Kramer (www.mamk.net/) and Joanna Saad-Sulonen (Urban Mediator). Teemu Kurppa (Huikea), Mikko Hämäläinen (Grey Area) and Mika Raento (ZenRobotics) will join together in a panel discussion on the possibilities of location data and media. In addition, YLE concept designers will organize a ”No Free Lunch” lunch event where participants can discuss and develop plans of using YLE content feeds in location aware mobile concepts.

The seminar is free to attend, but requires registration in advance. The seminar is targeted for YLE staff, Aalto University students and staff, specialists in the locative media field, independent developers, and members of the general public who are interested in the theme.