LAUNCH: Meet the Games Press & App Tech Media
Date: Wednesday 4th April 2012

Birmingham Science Park Aston are delighted to welcome you to "LAUNCH: Meet the Games Press & App Tech Media" event. the event is kindly sponsored by:

Meet The Press!
One of the best ways to generate interest in your latest product is to get media coverage about your game or games business. Unbiased media coverage by respected media in the online and physical press can have a huge impact on your business.
         
          

So how do we get the journalists excited to write your story? What makes them tick? How has the media world changed? How important is twitter, Linked-in and many forums and blogs.

To answer these questions, we have assembled a panel of game-media giants and industry experts to tell you about how they view the world. Find out what makes them buzzing, what they want to write about, and what annoys them!

TIME	DETAILS
10.00	Arrival & Registration
10.05	Table demos & Networking plus tour of Birmingham Science Park Aston's games incubator & intro to Entrepreneurs for the Future (e4f) tech scheme including 6 months support, office space etc
10.30	Welcome & Introduction Matthew Hidderley, Business Development Manager, Birmingham Science Park Aston
	EVENT CHAIR - Dr Jo Twist, CEO, UKIE Dr Jo Twist was appointed CEO of UKIE on January 9th 2012.  Dr Twist comes from Channel 4 as Commissioning Editor for Education and previous positions include Multiplatform Commissioner for BBC Entertainment and Switch, plus BBC Three’s Multiplatform Channel Editor.  With a strong background in education, creative technology and youth culture, Twist brings a wealth of experience in all aspects of interactive entertainment including media, technical innovation and creativity, commercial and political issues.
10:45	Presentation 1 - Games editor Will Freeman, Video Games Journalist. Develop Magazine (Editor), The Observer (reviews)
11.00	Presentation 2 - In-house games Head of Comms/PR Richard Eddy, Director of Communications at Codemasters
11.15	Presentation 3 - THE CHANGING WORLD OF PR & MARKETING Natalie Griffith, Head of PR & Marketing, Blitz Games Studios Experiences of a Head of PR & Marketing Professional from engaging with the Press through to experiences of Digital media and social media etc
11:30	Q&A
11:45	BREAK
12:10	GAMES PRESS & MEDIA PANEL: Panel of game-media giants and industry experts      - What are the games press interested in?      - How do studios engage the games press?      - How is the games media industry changing? * Matt Martin, Editor of GamesIndustry.biz at Eurogamer Network Ltd * Keith Stuart, Guardian, Games Correspondent * Alex Wiltshire, Editor, Edge Online * Keith Andrew, News Editor, PocketGamer.biz * Colin Macdonald, Commissioning Editor for Games, Channel 4
13.10	Summary
13.30	Close, Table demos & more networking

Lunch (not included in price) is available in the onsite facilities at Faraday Wharf

The main event will run from 10am-1.30pm and press meetings will take place between 2-4pm

Following the presentations, members of the press have agreed to pre-arranged  ‘speed’ meetings lasting 10-15 minutes.  If you would like to have a private meeting(s) with members of the press, we need you to supply some further details on your company.  This information will be sent to the press to allow them to select the businesses they wish to meet.  Please be assured that the information you supply will be treated as confidential and will only be sent to the press/ speakers taking part in the event.  Please keep your answers brief and to the point.  We cannot guarantee you will be selected for meetings, this is dependant on the information you provide when registering. 

Will Freeman, Video Games Journalist. Develop Magazine (Editor), The Observer (reviews)

Respected journalist leads the essential industry magazine as editor of Develop.  Will drives the publication’s editorial direction and has day-to-day responsibility for the print magazine, reporting to editor-in-chief Michael French.  London-based Freeman joined Develop in December 2008 as staff writer and became deputy editor in March 2010. Will also writes about games every week for UK broadsheet The Observer. www.develop-online.net   

Matt Martin, Editor of GamesIndustry.biz at Eurogamer Network Ltd

Matt has been with GamesIndustry.biz since in August 2006, and was promoted to editor in September 2008 with responsibility for the entire editorial content and day to day running of the site.  Matt has over ten years experience in journalism, working in-house and freelance for a variety of trade, business to business and consumer publications from Informa Group, Intent Media, Future Publishing, Imagine Publishing and Tudor Rose, amongst others.  His work has appeared in a diverse selection of publications including MCV, Finance on Windows, Television Business International, PlayStation Gamer, Xbox World, PC Retail, Prime, Reach, i-D and Hip Hop Connection.    www.gamesindustry.biz

Richard Eddy, Director of Communications at Codemasters

Rich has been the Director of Communications at Codemasters since 2003 managing global communications for video games including DiRT, Dizzy and F1 2011. Codemasters is an award winning games developer and publisher with a 25-year heritage and annual revenues in excess of US$ 150 Million. Our popular game brands include DiRT, GRID, Cricket and Operation Flashpoint.  The company also retains the exclusive worldwide video game rights to FORMULA ONE.  Around the world, Codemasters employs over 500 people in development and publishing.  We have  two development studios in the UK– one at our Warwickshire HQ with a further site in Birmingham.  An additional art studio is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  www.codemasters.com

Natalie Griffith, Head of PR & Marketing, Blitz Games Studios

Natalie joined Blitz Games Studios in 2000 to establish the company’s PR and marketing department and now heads up the company’s PR, marketing and communications strategies, with particular focus on business development, recruitment and internal communications. Varied games industry experience prior to her time with the company includes over five years as Editor of the Official Nintendo Magazine Australia, two years in the marketing design department at Codemasters, and three years for contract publishing house Catalyst Publishing where she wrote and designed a variety of game publications for Nintendo, Sega, THQ and others. 
www.blitzgamesstudios.com

Keith Stuart, Guardian, Games Correspondent

Keith is lead games correspondent for The Guardian newspaper and a veteran technology journalist.  He regularly writes for industry bible Edge as well as the Official PlayStation Magazine and The Observer.  Keith has also covered games and consumer technology for T3, FHM, Sleaze Nation, PC Gamer, Games Master and PSM3.  He has chaired discussions on game culture at the Bradford Animation Festival, Bafta, Gamescom and GameCity.  www.guardian.co.uk/technology/games  

 


Alex Wiltshire, Online Editor, Edge Magazine at Future Publishing

Alex edits Edge’s website, having previously been the magazine’s deputy editor, and contributes to all aspects of the publication.  He developed his journalism and writing career on the launch editorial team of design and architecture magazine Icon and as an editor on the Channel 4 website.  He has also written about videogames, design and architecture for publications including New Statesman, PC Gamer, Official Xbox Magazine, Design Week, Gamesmaster and The Architects’ Journal. 

Keith Andrew, News Editor, PocketGamer.biz

Keith is a freelance writer, currently serving as PocketGamer.biz’s News Editor, but also working for PocketGamer.co.uk, Games TM, ElectricPig.co.uk and GameZebo, amongst others. Specialties include ability to write large amounts of copy, daily. Can also manage about 20 cups of coffee a day. www.pocketgamer.biz

Colin Macdonald, Commissioning Editor for Games, Channel 4

Colin entered the games industry in 1990 as Software Manager of SAM Computers, the manufacturer of the last British home computer. Following that experience he founded a small games company which brought around twenty titles to market, including licences of Lemmings and Prince of Persia. He joined DMA Design in 1997 as Producer on the multi-billion dollar generating Grand Theft Auto franchise, then helped found and was Studio Manager of Realtime Worlds, where he helped raise over $80m in investment and oversaw development of the 2 million selling, BAFTA-winning game Crackdown, and the online game APB. Colin was then VP of Business Development at RTW spinout eeGeo, and is now Commissioning Editor for Games at Channel 4.

Parking:  Car parking at Faraday Wharf is £7 for a 24 hour token purchased from Faraday reception. Please bring change!

By Train: - Come into Birmingham Moor Street (nearest station with Chiltern Railways, London to Bham from £25 rtn), or Birmingham New Street Station or Snow Hill Station. It takes about 5 mins via taxi and will cost under £10 to reach the Science Park. Or you can walk which will take about 15-20 mins (circa 1.1 Mile or 2000 steps).

Hotels:

• Campanile Hotel Birmingham 0121 359 3330, £52 including VAT per room per night. Quote “Birmingham Science Park PROMO rate when calling to book. 3 mins walk from the Science Park with WIFI and hotel bar/restaurant.
• Conference Aston, Aston University  0121 204 4300, £47.80 / £78.80 upwards per night. 5 mins walk from the Science Park.
• Premier Inn Birmingham Central (East) 0871 527 8080, £55-73 per room per night, 5 mins walk from the Science Park.
• Hotel Du Vin Birmingham 0845 365 4438, £ 120-195+ per room per night, city centre, 15 minutes walk.
• Malmaison Birmingham 0845 365 4247, £ 130-195+ per room per night, city centre in The Mailbox, Birmingham’s most stylish shopping & lifestyle destination with exclusive stores & waterside restaurants, 25 minutes walk.
  
  Online Booking Reservations, see website to find a local hotel:
  Booking.com – see website for details
  Laterooms.com near B7 4BB