The fifth annual Monaco Media Forum (http://www.monacomediaforum.org), chaired by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, opened today, promising two-and-a-half days of debate and conversation on the "mobilization" of media, marketing and technology.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101110/419564-a ) (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101110/419564-b )

"From smart phones to tablets, pads and other new devices, mobile media intersects all our past discussions: "Web 2.0," social networks, targeted advertising, and the convergence of broadcast and the Internet," HSH Prince Albert II said in his inaugural address to the forum. "In many ways, what is happening today is as revolutionary as the original explosive birth-barely 15 years ago-of the original World Wide Web."

MMF2010 is the forum's largest and most important edition yet, bringing together 380 media industry leaders, including 170 CEO's, chairmen and founders.

"Now in its fifth year, the Monaco Media Forum is clearly established as the most important platform in Europe for serious discussion about the future of media," said David Tomatis, CEO of Monaco Mediax ( http://www.monacomediax.com), a non-profit organization and owner of several media events including the Media Forum.

Said John Rossant, executive chairman of PublicisLive ( http://www.publicislive.com), co-producer and organizer of the MMF: "While industry organizations continue to set standards for web advertising, we see the development of smartphone and iPad apps that basically replace Internet-based communication. And while Internet content has historically been free-causing intense debate on whether publishers should charge for digital news and entertainment-people are used to paying their mobile bills. This begs the question: How can marketers and publishers make money from mobile content?"

Highlights of the MMF2010 Program:

- Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg speaking on "Internet 2.0: Mobile Changes
Everything;"

- Darren Huston, CVP, Consumer & Online, Microsoft, speaking on "Going
Mobile, Think Different;"

- Yuri Milner, CEO and founding partner, Digital Sky Technologies,
discussing "Social Capital, Betting Big on Brave New Worlds" with Michael
Wolff, editorial director of AdWeek Media Group;

- James Murdoch, chairman and CEO, Europe and Asia, News Corp., to
discuss "Ones & Zeros: Making Digital Work," with Aryeh Bourkoff, vice
chairman, joint global head of technology, media and telecoms, UBS;

- Neelie Kroes, vice president of the European Commission and European
competition commissioner, will discuss the Digital Agenda for Europe and
other issues with Patience Wheatcroft, editor-in-chief, Wall Street
Journal Europe.


In addition, Ericsson is giving a sneak preview of PressPausePlay (http://www.presspauseplay.com), a film it has sponsored and which is being produced by House of Radon, an independent Stockholm-based film company. The extraordinary documentary, to be completed early in 2011 and which will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, explores how digital technology has changed production, distribution and consumption of creative works ranging from advertising to books, music and film.

About Monaco Media Forum

Now in its fifth year, the Monaco Media Forum brings together leaders of new and old media for two- and-a-half days of high-level discussions about the future of online, broadcast and print communications. Hosted by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, the invitation-only event focuses on emerging opportunities in technology, distribution and content, along with related developments in marketing and finance. For more information please visit http://www.monacomediaforum.org and follow us on Twitter @ publicislivemmf.

About MONACO MEDIAX

Monaco Mediax is a non-profit organization in charge of developing for the Principality of Monaco world-renowned events in the media industry such as the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, Imagina, Sportel Monaco, Sportel Asia, Sportel America, WIMA, the Monaco iGaming Exchanges and the Monaco Media Forum. The honorary president of the organization is HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. For more information, please visit http://www.monacomediax.com

About PublicisLive

PublicisLive specializes in organizing and producing some of the world's most prestigious conferences and corporate events for business, public and governmental institutions, foundations, and non-governmental organisations. Among the events it stages each year are the famous Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates, the Abu Dhabi Media Summit and the Monaco Media Forum. PublicisLive is part of Publicis Groupe, the world's third-largest communications group. For more information, please visit http://www.publicislive.com and follow us on Twitter @ publicislivemmf.