While MediaConnect was immediately successful in leveraging online media to connect and better inform influencers and the corporate communications professionals, we quickly recognised that the Internet could only ever partially help us to achieve our goal of enabling far more effective and productive media relations. For while we were able to achieve a lot with online media, relationships that are built on face-to-face communication are far more powerful and lasting.

Our MediaConnect Forum events are the most cost-effective way for IT executives to build real relationships with influencers and lay effective media relations. Now in their 5th year, MediaConnect Australia runs two Forums each year - the Kickstart Forum which is held in Queensland in February/March and the Influence Forum, held in September at the Hunter Valley, NSW.

As part of our mission of championing quality technology journalism, MediaConnect also runs Australia's most respected and recognised IT journalism awards. Sponsored by Sun Microsystems, the Sun Microsystems IT Journalism Awards have been running for five years and are held in April each year with the goal of recognising the best technology journalism and media for the preceding year.

Finally, MediaSmart is a next seminar series launched by MediaConnect, which aims to provide education and training to IT PR professionals. Leveraging our understanding and relationships in the IT media, the MediaSmart seminars provide PR pros with practical training and advice, using primarily technology journalists to explain their roles and how PR pros can work most effectively with them.