Alma Media participating in a discussion on media’s brainprint

Alma Media Corporation          Press release             13 June 2013 at 13.45 EEST

ALMA MEDIA PARTICIPATING IN A DISCUSSION ON MEDIA’S BRAINPRINT

Alma Media has today participated in the “Mirrors or Movers” seminar in London to present the results of the Lapin Kansa tablet pilot and discuss the impact of media content. The seminar introduced the concept of brainprint, which describes the responsibility and influence of the media sector.

The media sector makes up only a small fraction of global business and resource usage, but it has substantial influence. The Media CSR Forum, a corporate responsibility network comprised of European media companies, organised the “Mirrors or Movers” seminar in London to discuss the impact of media on society.

– The media sector is going through transformational changes and its traditional business models are being challenged. As media companies look for new business opportunities and ways to increase digital revenue, they should also forge deeper relationships with their audiences. Media has an impact on the individual and on society at large, and we should strive to better understand this impact, says Riikka Poukka, Alma Media’s Corporate Responsibility Manager.

A report on brainprint, a framework for measuring responsibility in the media sector, was presented at the seminar. The brainprint report summarises six modes in which media content affects society: questioning and challenging existing practices and structures, deliberately taking a partisan stance through campaigning, inspiring and presenting new perspectives, silencing or amplifying voices on certain topics, and normalising new forms of behaviour.

– In Finland, ethics and self-regulation in journalism have a long history and strong position. The brainprint debate brings a new perspective to understanding media, one that highlights the significance of content choices. As part of its Sustainable Media corporate responsibility programme, Alma Media is eager to start this discussion in Finland. Transparency and allowing all voices to be heard is particularly important in a small language region such as ours, Poukka continues.

Lapin Kansa, an Alma Media newspaper, presented the results of a tablet pilot carried out in sparsely populated areas of Lapland at the seminar. In the pilot, 50 customers residing in locations beyond the reach of early morning deliveries were provided with a tablet device and the digital edition of Lapin Kansa for a period of six weeks. The tablet pilot is an example of actively changing media consumption habits through experimentation.

– The newspaper is a smart product, the primary footprint of which is the brainprint. It can activate or passivise, inspire or discourage. The media use of even long-term subscribers of the newspaper changed during the tablet pilot. The regional newspaper became a part of morning routines and reduced the time spent watching television and listening to the radio. We managed to strengthen the image of the regional newspaper as a source of fresh news and even improve the self-esteem of people who live in sparsely populated areas, explains Matti Posio, Editor-in-Chief of Lapin Kansa.

More information:
Riikka Poukka, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Alma Media Corporation, tel. +358 050 5758217
Matti Posio, Editor-in-Chief, Lapin Kansa, tel. +358 40 7717828

Link to the report:
http://mirrorsormovers.com

Alma Media in brief

Alma Media is a media company focusing on digital services and publishing. In addition to news services, the company’s products provide useful information related to lifestyle, career and business development. The services of Alma Media have expanded from Finland to the Nordic countries, the Baltics and Central Europe. The company employs approximately 1,900 professionals (excluding distributors), of whom over 20% work outside Finland. Alma Media’s revenue in 2012 totalled approximately MEUR 320. Alma Media’s share is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. Read more at www.almamedia.com

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