Are you connecting with all the global issues?

The future of communication revolves around the internet, broadcast media and mobile communication. All three are inextricably linked in a world where news, information and entertainment are interwoven and where consumers want it all 24/7 and on the move.

Given the rapid pace of change, this theme will clearly be influenced by progress in 2008. So what are the issues driving the convergence agenda as technology innovators, social network providers, broadcast media and mobile comms suppliers jostle for a piece of the action?

Social networking is a key driver for new technologies but we increasingly need to balance risk and reward. Consumers have a seemingly insatiable appetite to connect with friends and professional peers but issues around privacy and security in the virtual world are now coming to the fore. Vast amounts of personal information now reside on the web. Cyber crime and identity fraud are on the up. Providers need to respond fast to restore this before it jeopardises web commerce.

Mobile technology has rapidly progressed from pure telephony to providing email and web access and with the sheer volume of data now available to media and advertisers, it is fast becoming an extension of personal identity. Does this mean that the PC is dead? The inherent value of mobility colours every aspect of our online experience. What use is a PC if a mobile does it better?

Broadcast media is also experiencing dramatic change. Consumers are demanding content online, as evidenced by the early success of the BBC's iPlayer which, in its first seven weeks, was used to stream or download 17 million TV programmes on to computers. So, will consumers shun the small screen for all but video blogs and content from their friends? Will broadcasters still maintain that TV and web are not mutually exclusive? And what about mobile TV services?

With distributors and even TV channels no longer indispensable, who will finance production? Either way, it all sounds like good news for advertising as new productions emerge, but they face significant challenges in this increasingly 'personal' world where the consumer has the power to switch them off. To reach their audiences they now need to anticipate changes in consumer behaviour.

Meanwhile, the 'blogosphere' expands relentlessly. A new blog is created every second. The web through blogging, video or otherwise is giving voice to a growing community of opinion formers who gather communities around them like a magnet. Will this undermine the work of established journalists who are experts in their field?

Finally, there is the question of bandwidth and the risk of a meltdown on the information superhighway. And while we debate the need for increased bandwidth in the western world, we will also explore progress being made to improve e-connectivity in developing countries where the installation of broadband plays a catalytic role in creating jobs, uniting communities and driving economic development?

This theme at FutureFest will certainly beg as many questions as it answers!