MKT Operations for Federal Environment Ministry Renewed
Four more years of media tech operations at the Federal Environment Ministry.
Berlin, August 22, 2022 - The bidding consortium ARGE Hoffmann & Jakobs has secured the contract for the provision of media and conference technology services (MKT operations) at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The ARGE thus takes over full operational responsibility for digital events and live events at all ministry locations in Bonn and Berlin for another four years.
Nicolai Jakobs, CEO and founder of Jakobs Medien GmbH: “We are delighted to continue the successful collaboration with a long-standing client who has always understood digital event communication as an opportunity. This gave us as a service provider the chance to implement bold ideas. What started as a resource-efficient event concept then paid off in various ways during the COVID restrictions.
In addition to the events in the Lichthof that could be held virtually and in hybrid format, we had already implemented a MediaLab for fast-turnaround digital communication formats, such as press statements or connecting ministers and state secretaries to external virtual events. This enabled the federal agency to reach a new level in terms of reach and responsiveness despite this entirely new situation for everyone.”
How events will develop with the lifting of COVID restrictions remains to be seen in the coming months.
Nicolai Jakobs is however convinced:
“We generally observe among our clients and partners a desire for more B2B, but then face-to-face. However, nobody wants to give up the advantages of virtual events anymore. Whether it is the low-barrier participation in workshops, unlimited viewer capacity, the new dimension of reach, time savings or resource conservation. That is why we are convinced that the future of events will contain the best of both event worlds - virtual and traditional. This is where we come in, to go the extra mile for the BMUV with features of interaction and visual presentation to stand out from the crowd.”
Hybrid Events for Federal Ministries: A New Era of Event Technology
Working with a federal ministry places special demands on an event service provider. Security standards are high, technical reliability must be guaranteed at all times, and event formats range from internal working sessions to press conferences to large public specialist conferences. Each format brings its own technical and organizational challenges.
Hybrid events, where participants attend both on-site and remotely, have proven particularly valuable in the ministry context. They make it possible to include experts from across the country and internationally without requiring every person to physically travel to Berlin or Bonn. This not only saves travel costs but is also an important contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of events, very much in the spirit of the Environment Ministry.
For the technical implementation of hybrid events at the ministry, we have developed a scalable system that can be flexibly adapted to different event sizes and formats. From a small video conference with ten participants to a large specialist conference in the Lichthof with hundreds of viewers on the livestream, the same basic infrastructure can be used and expanded as needed.
Media Technology at All Locations: Bonn and Berlin
The BMUV has locations in both Bonn and Berlin, and a uniform, high-performance media technology infrastructure must be provided at both sites. This includes the permanent installation and maintenance of conference technology, audio and video systems as well as the readiness to set up additional technology for special events at short notice.
At the locations, we manage conference rooms with permanently installed media technology, including professional audio systems, projectors and displays as well as video conferencing systems. For larger events in the Lichthof and event halls, mobile tech setups are available that are configured according to format: multi-camera production for livestreams, interpretation technology for multilingual events, sound systems for large rooms and LED walls for visual presentations.
The challenge lies in availability and response speed. A ministry does not plan all events weeks in advance. Press statements, connections to international conferences or short-notice crisis communications require a team that can respond quickly and reliably. This is exactly what we deliver with a dedicated tech team that is intimately familiar with the premises, infrastructure and procedures within the ministry.
The MediaLab: Fast Formats for Digital Communication
A special element of our work at the BMUV is the MediaLab, which we established as a permanent facility for fast digital communication formats. The MediaLab functions like a compact broadcast studio within the ministry and makes it possible to produce professional video content within the shortest time.
Typical use cases for the MediaLab include press statements by the minister that are released live or as recordings. Connections of ministry leadership to external virtual events or talk formats. Quick video statements on current political topics distributed via the ministry’s social media channels. And recordings of opening remarks or keynotes for events that ministers or state secretaries cannot attend in person.
The MediaLab proved particularly indispensable during the COVID pandemic. When physical events were no longer possible, the ministry was able to seamlessly switch to digital formats thanks to the already existing infrastructure. This responsiveness would not have been possible without the forward-looking investment in the MediaLab infrastructure.
Digital Transformation in the Public Sector
The collaboration with the BMUV is an example of how the digital transformation of events in the public sector can succeed. Federal ministries and agencies face the particular challenge of meeting the highest standards of data security and accessibility on one hand, while offering modern and engaging event formats that keep up with the expectations of a digital audience on the other.
The requirements for accessibility are particularly high in the public sector. Events must be accessible to people with different impairments. This means sign language interpreters for livestreams, subtitling of video content, audio-descriptive elements and technical solutions optimized for users with visual or hearing impairments.
Data security is another critical factor. Not all events of a ministry are public. Internal working sessions, confidential briefings and security-relevant conferences require closed streaming systems, encrypted transmission paths and strict compliance with the federal government’s IT security guidelines.
At the same time, expectations for visual quality and interactivity of public events are growing. A livestream of a ministry event today must not only be functional but visually appealing, with professional camera work, overlaid graphics, clean audio and a user-friendly streaming interface. Interactive elements such as live polls, Q&A sessions and chat functions transform a passive broadcast into a participatory format.
The Future: The Best of Both Worlds
The pandemic has shown that virtual and hybrid event formats are not a passing trend. They have become a permanent part of the event landscape and offer advantages that organizations no longer want to do without. At the same time, there is a clear desire for personal exchange and physical encounters.
The future of events in the public sector lies in the intelligent combination of both worlds. Hybrid formats that unite the best of physical and virtual events will become the standard. This means: high-quality in-person events that are simultaneously professionally streamed, complemented by interactive digital elements that actively engage remote participants.
For the next four years, we will continue to develop this vision for the BMUV. With new interaction features, innovative visual presentation and a technology infrastructure that is ready for deployment at any time, we are fully committed to ensuring that the Federal Environment Ministry’s events set new benchmarks.
BACKGROUND
Jakobs Medien GmbH is an owner-managed media production company for digital live formats, technical equipment for events and greenscreen studio productions based in Berlin Kreuzberg and has been a contract partner for event technology and operations at the Federal Environment Ministry since 2016.
Founded in 2012 by Managing Director Nicolai Jakobs as a livestream technology service company, the portfolio of Jakobs Medien GmbH today encompasses film productions, livestreaming events, the technical implementation of virtual conferences, greenscreen studio productions as well as live e-commerce shows, conferences and award ceremonies on the web.
The permanent staff is an interdisciplinary team of 14, providing a full service for a client base of NGOs, startups, SMEs, brands, advertising agencies and federal ministries - from conception and technical planning through content creation to live and post-production.