Dutch Audio/Visual Industry forms collective

JUNE 23, 2009 – This morning the Dutch Media Hub was launched during a breakfast meeting, preceding the annual ‘Mediapark Jaarcongres’.

Dutch Media Hub
Together with several media companies from the Netherlands, Stichting iMMovator is establishing the Dutch Media Hub. Within this ‘hub’ a diversity of services is offered, all concerning storage, modification and distribution of digital media. Ton van Mil, General Manager of iMMovator: “The Dutch Media Hub can be compared with the Rotterdam Harbor. All facilities and services together, make this harbor to an important Main port. The Dutch media and ICT industry offer their facilities and services to international content manufacturers, like the Hollywood film studio’s. This way becoming a digital Main port. But also the Asian media companies up and coming, for instance with online gaming. These companies would like to distribute their games on the European market as well and are looking for a central entry point within Europe.” 

The Netherlands has the right position to become this central gateway to Europe. Research by the company Dialogic shows that there are great opportunities for the Audio / Visual industry. A successful European Media Hub has an annual additional potential up to about 500 million euro. In addition to this, the Dutch media industry has the opportunity to expand its international visibility.

Partners from the industry
With this project, Stichting iMMovator unites industry, government and knowledge institutes. Already the following companies are participating in the Dutch Media Hub: AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange), BT, Civolution, DMC (Digital Media Centre), Dutch Independents, Dutchview, European Communication Projects, FCCE, Getronics (a KPN company), Hoek & Sonépouse, Jet-Stream, Kennedy Van der Laan, Chamber of Commerce Gooi- Eem- & Flevoland, Lost Boys Interactive, Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, SBS Broadcasting, Stoneroos Interactive TV, Team Facilities, Technicolor, United Broadcast Facilities, Videma, Vivesta, World Trade Center Almere Association, XDEV, Novay (formally known as Telematica Instituut) and TNO ICT.

Governmental support
The Dutch Media Hub project has the support of local, regional and national governments. With the support of the Municipalities of the cities of Hilversum, Amsterdam and Almere, Stichting iMMovator has submitted a request for the subsidy program ‘Pieken in de Delta’. The program committee has written a positive advise to the Ministry of Economic Affairs to admit the request into the program. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is already financially involved in the project. 

Official National Launch
The National launch of the project was performed by participants from the industry and relevant officials from local and regional governments. The Dutch Media Hub will be present at the IBC Conference and Exhibition, to be held in Amsterdam from 11 to 15 September 2009.

Source: iMMovator press release, 23 June 2009