Media4D

Video content meets technological innovation: From specific needs to universal accessibility


Media4D is the social innovation platform for accessibility and digital, audiovisual and multimedia content. The platform brings together players from the value chain to:

  • Promote exchanges between players from different worlds,
  • Go for inclusion and universal access services and content,
  • Create projects between various stakeholders to foster technological and social innovation,
  • Find models to advance social innovation into market opportunities.

If included directly within the content production process, story telling or scenario writing, accessibility will create very original œuvres and therefore also interest larger audiences taking into account the needs of specific populations (people with disabilities, aging populations, non geeks, vulnerable populations, etc.).

Media4D relies on two pillars, aiming to bring different worlds together, which are not used to cooperate:

Media4D is bringing together all players of the value chain in order to help them translate social innovation into market opportunities. Accessibility, if well designed from the beginning, creates added value – for everyone.

The objective is also to raise awareness among creative people (producers, film makers, scrip writers, designers etc.) by integrating accessibility from the very beginning  in the content production process, as well as by exchanging on best practices already in use in some companies related to web content accessibility.

Content industries need to make their productions more accessible. This includes all forms of the creation and delivery processes. However, the consumer electronic industries, ICT research institutes and content creators do not speak the same language, even when they are vertically integrated. Filmmakers, producers, writers, and others are often not aware of e-accessibility features and access technologies.

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What is accessibility?

Accessibility is the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the “ability to access”. Accessibility often focuses on people with disabilities or special needs and their right of access and benefit from some system or entity. 80 million people live with disabilities throughout Europe (European Disability Forum). AGE Platform Europe refers to 100 million ageing Europeans (up from 60 years old). As a mix, this represents an estimated 40%+ of the European population. (See article : Accessibility as Driver for Innovation” H. Holken, V. Bullich)

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Media4D  is a brand of Holken Consultants & Partners – www.holkenconsultants.com