ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the development of a media cluster called Mediapolis in Tampere, Finland, during its initial years. Mediapolis is a brownstone, real estate creative cluster project that combines public and private organisations in cross-sector collaboration. Mediapolis is situated in the premises formerly owned by the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle. Mediapolis aims to create value through collaborative media innovation and new content creation. The development of Mediapolis is strongly supported by Tampere City and regional authorities. The qualitative case study reflects on opportunities and challenges of clusters as tools for collaboration. The case study illustrates complications in developing media clusters based on collaborative value between the participating organisations rather than on spatial arrangements (as the traditional understanding of clusters). The case study revealed organisational tensions that emerge through dualities between (1) private and public organisational orientations, (2) ideal planning and practical actions and (3) individual organisations’ self-interest and collective interest for collaboration. The case study results show the importance for urban planners, local policymakers and creative cluster managers of anticipating, identifying and managing various organisational tensions in media cluster development.
