Popkomm 2004 as reported in our last issue will be held in Berlin and will be operated by a joint venture between Viva Media AG and the Messe Berlin. As no official source wanted to comment on details of the deal and the future of Popkomm itself, only vague information had been made available. Different to previous reports, the Berlin Messe already owns the Popkomm brand. As part of a purchase agreement all trade mark rights are supposed to be paid until 2010. More or less confirmed is that the Messe Berlin is granted the right to decide and appoint a new managing director for the music fair, while Viva only retains a seat on the supervisory board of the joint venture.

There is much speculation about new dates and a new concept for Popkomm in Berlin. Popkomm.Public had already been set up in 2003 as a new event for consumers. A quite unique mixture of non-music companies such as Deutsche Bahn (German Railway) and Vodafone, and media companies as Viva TV and Eins Live (Radio) trade visitors may have gathered an impression of what is to come.

In reference to this, one rumour says that Popkomm 2004 will be a combination of the youth fair YOU, and Showtech, a sound and lighting systems show. Insiders are claiming that this is an idea created somewhere in Berlin, but unfortunately no comment had been available regarding such a splendid master plan. Regarding the Viva TV award show 'Comet', latest unofficial news indicates that this show should remain located in Cologne.

It seems the likely case that the new dates for Popkomm 2004 might be sometime in October at which time Berlin could be a wonderful place. Just imagine the refreshing combination of some lovely drizzling rain together with the first ground frost of the year and plenty of black polo neck sweaters might appear to those, who have been used to the T-Shirt weather conditions of Cologne in August!