Founded by Andrew Nachison and Dale Peskin, iFOCOS is establishing partnerships with individuals and organizations around the globe to create next-generation media projects that foster an informed society, as well as create new opportunities in the marketplace. A board of advisors has been compiled from the world’s most influential digital media companies to advise and support the institute, including QUALCOMM, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, FastCompany magazine, The Associated Press, Reuters and more.

The institute is Reston, Virginia-based and is affiliated with the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) at the University of Southern California, which is conducting interdisciplinary research in digital technologies and models across media. Cross-sector collaborations with institutions, businesses, foundations, research centers, public policy groups and individuals will be announced in coming weeks.

By convening dialogues between thought leaders in different disciplines, iFOCOS plans to reveal intelligence from all corners of media. They will broker productive collaborations that lead to progress. One of iFOCOS’s first actions is conducting the international We Media forum at the University of Miami, February 8-9, 2007, with major support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and participation by Grupo de Diarios América, a coalition of Latin America media groups. Previous “We Media” conferences were conducted in New York and London in association with news organizations, including The Associated Press, the BBC and Reuters.

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