Founded in London in February 2009, Media140 is an independent global movement creating unique multimedia events to consider the future of the real-time web. The real-time web is dramatically changing the way we communicate, socialise and do business globally. Media140 focuses on Twitter but also looks at other real-time platforms that are now beginning to affect business, the media, advertising, entertainment and marketing.

Media140 was launched in London on 20 May 2009 with a 1-day conference entitled The future of real time news. Over 270 attendees took part. The event was supported by the BBC, Sky, TechCrunch Europe, The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, Al Jazeera English, Sun Microsystems and Audioboo. The event trended #1 on Twitter for the entire day and was streamed live.

The latest Media140 event was a 2-day conference in Sydney Australia on 5 and 6 November 2009 entitled What is the future of journalism in the Social Media Age? The lead partner was the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia’s only national non-commercial broadcaster. The conference considered the disruptive nature of real-time social media, looking at tools such as Twitter, live-blogging, Facebook and other social networking tools as they rapidly transform the media in real-time. The event trended on Twitter on both days and was streamed live.

Over the next 140 days or so different Media140 events are planned across the world – and in Perugia on 23 April 2010 during the festival. The use of Twitter and real-time social media in Italy is growing fast but remains significantly less widespread than in the US, the UK or Australia. It will be the first event of its kind in Italy.

Follow Media140 on the Festival webtv