Tony Visconti and Laurence Bell to keynote talent event at Midem

Midem has decided to showcase even more new talent this year through the Talent Only event. Laurence Bell, head of Domino Records, which signed hit bands such as Franz Ferdinand and the Arctic Monkeys, and Tony Visconti, famed producer of acts including David Bowie, T-Rex and Les Rita Mitsuoko, will be the headline attractions at MIDEM Talent Only during a keynote event on 29 January.

“Thanks to an unrivalled eye for talent spotting, Laurence Bell has succeeded in creating one of the best and most respected independent labels,” said Dominique Leguern, Director of MIDEM. “Tony Visconti has become a legend since producing some of the most emblematic albums of the glam-rock period including those of David Bowie and Marc Bolan. Tony Visconti and Laurence Bell, together for a keynote as part of the MIDEM Talent Only, will be a highpoint for all industry executives concerned with the discovery and development of talent.”

Wi-Fi connections in Cannes

It's almost unthinkable to be in Cannes for a few days and not have access to your e-mails. Midem obviously has Internet connections for visitors, although you usually have to stand in a queue. If you want a more accessible connection, you should think about taking a WiFi subscription. SFR is the supplier within the Palais, but I've had no luck finding out how much it costs. The site simply says that you turn your computer on, find the network and follow the payment process (without actually giving a price). The SFR site provides no details. The hotels obviously also have connections you can use. But if you're staying outside town, that doesn't help much during the day.

Amongst the prepaid solutions, the easiest one I could find information about is Orange. They offer 1, 3, 10 and 30 hour packages you can buy in Relay newsagents or online from the Orange site (in French but quite clear). I'll probably opt for the 3-hour option for €10 (with 50% extra for €1 if you purchase before January 15), which should be enough to grab e-mails, work offline and then send them out afterwards. If you have experience using other prepaid WiFi solutions in France, why not drop a line about it in the comments?

Midem deadline fast approaching

If you're thinking about attending Midem in Cannes this year, don't wait too long to decide. The Early Bird deadline is on December 21. The price of €805 represents a 25% discount over the walk-in rate. I also did a quick check with hotels and airlines. Most of the hotels in the inner "banana" (the area closest to the Palais in Cannes) are booked. However there are still rooms available in the "residences" outside town at reasonable prices. Shuttle buses are available to reach these. Some cheap flights can still be booked (although I only checked the European airlines flying to Nice airport).

Good luck - and maybe see you down there. For more info and bookings, visit Midem.com.

Rupert Murdoch to address Cannes Lions

With a portfolio that goes from the New York Post to MySpace, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has managed to maintain a leading role in media across many platforms. The ad agency Young & Rubicam has invited Murdoch to address the Cannes Lions, most likely on how the media industry is changing and in particular the rise of new media.

U2 manager to keynote at Midem

In case you haven't noticed, Midem is just a few weeks away. And the latest news is that Paul McGuinness will be giving the keynote address at the first-ever International Manager Summit. Not only has U2 spanned 20 years of success, they have also embraced the new media, kept up as a live act and are still very relevant in today's scene. so to a certain degree, they are doing everything right. This will make McGuinness' address quite interesting for the many people that are asking just how to survive in the new music business landscape. For details, visit Midem.com.