If you've attended MFM Annual Conferences in the past, get ready for a reboot. If you have never attended the event -- which is the largest gathering of media and entertainment finance professionals -- prepare to be delighted.
Organizers of the 2023 MFM Annual Conference, now in its 63rd year, expect it will be the best ever. They promise that attendees will be armed with new and better tools to address every challenge they're dealing with now, and all those that may arise in the near future. The event takes place May 22-24 at the Loew's Hollywood in Los Angeles.
Recently, MFMInSites.com Contributor and MFM Public Relations Consultant Krista Van Lewen connected with MFM President and CEO Joe Annotti to get an insider's view on what's in store.
Krista Van Lewen: What are you doing to make the Annual Conference different, and better, than in years past?
Joe Annotti: First off, when you say "you," know it's certainly not just me who develops the Annual Conference. I'm just the ringleader. It takes the entire MFM staff, two excellent conference co-chairs -- Lori Locke of Warner Bros. Discovery and Marie Tedesco of Beasley Broadcast Group -- professional event planners, and many MFM members who volunteer to help design the conference.
To answer your question, the entire group made a concerted effort this year to focus on two things. One, they made sure that every session -- from the opening general session to each breakout and roundtable -- will provide something attendees can't get anywhere else. And two, we wanted to streamline the conference to allow more people to attend more sessions. By focusing on quality over quantity, we're ensuring both value and efficiency.
Van Lewen: What's the most important thing attendees -- or those who are considering the idea of coming -- should know about the conference?
Annotti:This year's event will have many familiar pieces to it -- such as general sessions, breakouts and roundtables. But the topics addressed will be broader than in previous years. There will be granular sessions on accounting, finance and credit issues, to be sure. But there will also be sessions on the future of streaming; changing consumer habits; sports betting and broadcasting; artificial intelligence; and robotics. It will help MFM members peer around the corner to see what's coming so they can prepare themselves and their companies for the opportunities these massive changes will create.
Van Lewen: In what ways will the conference break new ground?
Annotti:For one, we'll get to spend a full morning on the first day with one of the most influential business gurus on the planet: Jim Collins. I don't think we've ever had a keynote speaker quite like him. We're also condensing the number of breakouts to 27. They will focus on more broad-based topics of interest to financial professionals than those discussed in previous meetings. We're reducing the emphasis on specific educational "tracks" for specific industry sectors -- television, radio, newspapers, games and some others -- to encourage greater connectivity and networking across all types of media and entertainment companies and financial disciplines.
Van Lewen: What specific types of education or takeaways will people leave with?
Annotti: I think attendees will walk away with a much better understanding of the "big picture" influences shaping the media and entertainment industry, as well as specific ideas that they can put to work for themselves and their companies as soon as they return from the conference.
I also think they will make at least one personal connection that will lead to a relationship that will impact their company in the next couple of years. People will learn, share and network in the educational sessions. But deals will get done in the conversations between and outside of those sessions. That's the unique value of the MFM Annual Conference.
Van Lewen: What are you personally most excited about for this year's conference?
Annotti:I'm really looking forward to Jim Collins' presentation. I've heard him several times before and have walked away with new ideas or insights that I use in my overall management strategy. The general sessions featuring the leaders of the industry's major trade groups and senior financial executives from Warner Brothers Discovery, Disney and Sony are a "must see." Just the diversity and quality of this year's breakout session speakers is exciting. The hardest decision will be which sessions to attend.
If you haven't yet registered for the 2023 MFM Annual Conference, now is the time to do so by clicking here.While you're at it, be sure to make your hotel and air travel arrangements, too, so when May approaches, all you'll need to do is arrive and let the learning and networking begin.
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The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet.