Berlin Digital

Having been to the last couple of the Games Conventions in Leipzig, a relaxed 2 hours from Berlin by car or train, I made sure to attend the GamesCom in Cologne (Köln).
Their predecessor, housed in the modern exhibition grounds of Leipzig was always rewarding, business wise and also educating in general. I missed the GamesConventionOnline in Leipzig, but after what I have heard I made the decision to be there next year.

My general impression from GamesCom was a good one, not better than Leipzig, but not worse either. I have to admit that I like many others felt sorry for the Leipzigers who made the GamesConvention big, but such is life. It was well organized and the masses streamed to the exhibition halls. I spoke to many people, but made sure to see most of the booths from Berlin and took some pics (note to self: always check battery of camera before travelling, otherwise you will have to use the Blackberry again).

Not truly digital in every sense, but good for Berlin and its English speaking visitors – NPR is in Berlin. I am a big fan of NPR, the US’ public, non-commercial radio, which you can basically hear in all regions of the USA. Of course you can listen to them over the internet, however, much nicer indeed is that you can do it with your normal FM (UKW) radio receiver in Berlin too. On 104.1 (MHz) FM you get NPR Berlin, the normal US programm with some German resp. Berlin content. It is the old frequency of Voice of America (VoA) which it got in early 2006.
NPR is a “non-commercial, privately supported, not-for-profit membership organization, NPR serves a growing audience of more than 25 million Americans each week in partnership with more than 800 independently operated, noncommercial public radio stations.” They offer great content without demanding an ever growing tax-like contribution from everybody (like in Germany), but rely mostly on contributions from their member stations and their listeners.
I joined a guided tour this summer in D.C. where I took a picture of one of their studios (other inside pics were not allowed;-).