CITI-IMMAA Seminars 2024/2025 Recap

IMMAA Communication
October 2, 2025
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Highlights from a year of monthly seminars on strategy, management, and policy in global media hosted by the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) at Columbia University in NYC in partnership with IMMAA

CITI at Columbia University continued its partnership with IMMAA to produce a series of monthly seminars this academic year, providing a platform for dialogue, exchange, and insight on strategy, management, and policy in telecommunications, computing, and electronic mass media, featuring influential experts in various topics of keen importance to the field of media management and economics. The seminars are organized by Prof Eli Noam, Director of CITI, and co-hosted by Jason Buckweitz, Leadership Fellow at CITI, with the support of the IMMAA Executive Board.

Each session features an expert speaker followed by an engaging audience Q&A period, connecting scholars and practitioners across continents. These are thought-provoking programs that foster insightful debate and collaboration on rapidly evolving challenges in global media and technology studies. Check the 2024/2025 seminar sessions in the videos below, and visit the CITI Seminar page for details: https://business.columbia.edu/citi/events/citi-immaa-seminars. The current archive of taped seminars features:

October 2024:

Dave Schaeffer, Cogent Communications

Dave Schaeffer, founder and CEO of Cogent Communications, described building one of the world’s largest internet providers from scratch and steering the company’s global network expansion. He shared insights on leadership, market acquisitions, and the evolution of multinational digital infrastructure.

November 2024:

Antônio Napoli D’Andréa Neto, Kaiser Associates (Brazil)

Antônio Neto analyzed the surge of influencer marketing, mapping its explosive global growth and the shift in consumer trust away from traditional advertising. The talk outlined new challenges and opportunities for journalists and media as they navigate an increasingly complex influencer-driven landscape.

January 2025:

Dr. Christoph Mayer, Highberg Consultancy (Germany)

Christoph Mayer drew on real-world consulting with over 30 publishers to assess AI adoption in European newsrooms. He highlighted both the technological progress and the persistent challenges facing effective implementation of AI-powered content creation in journalism.

February 2025:

José Miguel Encarnação & José Carlos Matias (Macao)

José Miguel Encarnação and José Carlos Matias discussed the interplay between China’s “one country, two systems” model and the evolution of its creative industries. Their analysis spotlighted how regions like Hong Kong and Macau act as international bridges for media, culture, and innovation.

March 2025:

Helge Fuhst, ARD Tagesthemen (Germany)

Helge Fuhst gave an inside look at producing news for diverse audiences on Germany’s leading public service broadcaster, ARD. He addressed the complex demands of serving politically and technologically varied viewers in the changing European media landscape.

April 2025:

Francisco J. Pérez-Latre, University of Navarra (Spain)

Francisco Pérez-Latre explored the roots and repercussions of declining trust in media. His presentation linked this trend to larger digital, economic, and political forces and assessed its impact on public discourse and democratic resilience.

May 2025:

John Oliver, Bournemouth University (UK)

John Oliver examined how CEO traits shape innovation and performance in media firms, revealing which leadership qualities drive risk-taking and market success. His research also discussed the wider effects of executive decision-making on organizational transformation during crisis.

June 2025:

Pablo J. Boczkowski, Northwestern University (USA)

Pablo Boczkowski delved into the new frontiers at the intersection of technology and mental health care. Building on his journalism research, Boczkowski analyzed how digital tools are transforming clinical practice and the broader implications for work, policy, and health.

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