• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Progressive Television and Video Start Ups Featured at Future of Television West in Los Angeles, March 24-25, 2009

Posted on: Thursday, 19 March 2009, 15:07 CDT

Focused on the Future: Top Cable and Network Execs Growing Business Relationships with Technology Leaders

LOS ANGELES, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Future of Television West (www.televisionconference.com/west) to be held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles on March 24-25, 2009, will feature many of today's most progressive, forward thinking companies representing the ever-evolving television and video industries. As the television industry struggles with how to adapt to the digital world, Future of Television Forum is the only event that focuses squarely on how the television industry can work with technology companies to build profitable business models that give consumers what they want (total access, anytime, anywhere). Side by side with top network executives, including Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company who keynotes on March 24, some of the most compelling and innovative companies in the television and video landscape appearing at the event include:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090319/LA86400LOGO)

ZillionTV

Now in beta, ZillionTV, founded by technology and television veteran Mitch Berman, is one of the newest companies promising to deliver TV through the Internet. For consumers, the company offers any show, anywhere, anytime. For content owners, they promise to unbind content owners from the constraints of television distribution and replace it with control of pricing, distribution and scheduling. For advertisers, ZillionTV will focus on providing the scope and flexibility of the internet to reach television audiences. The company is working with many of the top names in entertainment, including Disney, NBC, Universal, Sony Pictures Television, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, and hopes to "completely change the way you watch TV -- and you'll never pay a subscription fee." ZillionTV CEO Mitch Berman joins a session on "Transforming Television for a Connected World" on March 24.

Sezmi

Sezmi, founded by former Sony CTO Phil Wiser, issues a challenge to cable and satellite providers by promising to redefine the television experience with the first-ever personal television system. By harnessing the power of the broadband and over-the-air digital television, Sezmi's goal is to deliver as much video as it possibly can to a consumer's television - live, pre-recorded, archived, and Internet content. In January, the company gave its first public demonstration at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show showcasing the full capabilities of its personal TV system with a lineup of broadcast and cable channels, internet video, and on-demand content. Sezmi CEO Phil Wiser also joins the session on "Transforming Television for a Connected World" on March 24.

EQAL

It started with a lonely girl and a simple idea: tell a story incorporating the best elements of traditional narrative and online interactivity. Today that idea has transformed into EQAL (pronounced "Equal"), the social entertainment company dedicated to redefining the way we interact with content and with each other. Merging technology with creative development and production expertise, the team at EQAL, led by Greg Goodfried, Co-Founder and President and Co-Creator of lonelygirl15 and KateModern, are leaders in the creation and distribution of truly interactive shows. Through partnerships with independent producers, traditional media companies, and multinational brands, EQAL is launching new interactive shows and building online communities that engage users like never before. Greg Goodfried joins the "Stars of the Web" panel on March 25.

Machinima

Through a community website focused on showing user-generated and professional videos, gameplay and trailers from video games, Machinima is bridging the gap between games, social media and video. The Machinima network is the ninth most subscribed YouTube channel and serves more than 30 million video views per month. Machinima offers thousands of trailers, gameplay, montages, music videos and original machinima series and movies created in World of Warcraft, Halo, Sims 2, GTA, Battlefield, Counterstrike and many other top games. The machinima genre has gained popularity during the past several years with the increasing popularity of video games among the Millennial generation, and Machinima, which raised $3.85 million in new financing in November, is betting that will translate into more revenue from technology, gaming and entertainment advertisers. Allen DeBevoise, Chairman and CEO, Machinima.com joins the "Stars of the Web" panel on March 25.

Funny or Die Networks

Recently named as one of DMW's "25 Digital Entertainment Executives to Watch," Funny or Die Networks' CEO Dick Glover has developed Funny or Die into an Internet powerhouse and an online home for videos featuring some of Hollywood's biggest stars. It helped launch the much publicized 2008 presidential candidacy of Paris Hilton and hosts a number of the most viewed politically themed videos. A 20-year veteran of broadcasting and media, Glover has a background as VP of Broadcasting and New Media at NASCAR and held various senior management roles at Walt Disney Company in their ABC and Internet Groups. Glover joins the "Future of Online Video" panel on March 25.

Electric Farm Entertainment

Stan Rogow, three-time Emmy-nominated producer, is executive producer and director of "Gemini Division," roles he first undertook with "Afterworld," Electric Farm Entertainment's Webby-nominated, post-Apocalyptic epic about a man trapped in a world without technology. Following his huge success as executive producer of the popular series and feature film "Lizzie McGuire" Rogow was the executive producer of the Discovery/Kids on NBC series "Darcy's Wild Life" and co creature "Flight 29 Down," and THE ABC FAMILY, multiple humanitas nominated, STATE OF GRACE. His long list of credits also includes NBC's "Shannon's Deal," the critically acclaimed show that was nominated by the Television Critics Association for Best Show of the Year - Tom Shales from the Washington Post called it "an extraordinarily good series." The series "Middle Ages" was given four stars by USA Today and Entertainment Weekly called it "easily one of the most thoughtful, well-written and beautiful acted series of the year." Rogow executive produced and co-created both series. In this rare opportunity to meet one of television's most successful producers at Future of Television West, you will have the chance to hear his thoughts on using TV assets as a marketing device to attract viewers to an internet series and how to make money from a series on the Web.

These companies and executives join over 200 senior decision-makers from broadcast networks, cable, satellite, creators, producers, distributors, technology companies, wireless companies, industry bodies, advertising, attorneys, artists, investors and venture capitalists. Speakers include:

Joe Adalian, Deputy Editor/Columnist, TVWeek Tom Adams, President, Adams Media Research Kraig Baker, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Alex Barkaloff, Exec. Producer, Digital Media, Lionsgate Christopher Barry, SVP, Digital Media & Business Strategy, Sundance Channel Jonathan Barzilay, SVP, Programming & Advertising, MediaFLO USA Mike Bennett, Founder & CEO, Oil Productions (creator, Routs, Channel 4, UK) Eric Berger, SVP, Mobile Entertainment & Digital Networks, Sony Pictures Television Mitch Berman, CEO & Founder, Zillion TV Vin Bhat, Managing Partner, Saavn Bill Bradford, SVP & Chief Product Officer, Fox Digital Media, Fox Entertainment Group Sean Carey, Sr. Executive Vice President, Sony Pictures Television Tim Connolly, VP, Mobile Distribution, Disney/ABC/ESPN Media Networks Felicia Day, Creator / Professional Actress, The Guild Allen DeBevoise, Chairman & CEO, Machinima.com Marc DeBevoise, SVP, Business Development & Strategy, Starz Media LLC Colin Dixon, Sr. Analyst & IPTV Practice Manager, The Diffusion Group John Edwards, President & CEO, Move Networks Dominic Field, Partner & Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group John Fitzpatrick, Business Development, blip.tv Seth Geiger, President, SmithGeiger Dick Glover, CEO, Funny or Die Networks Sibyl Goldman, VP, Moves, TV, omg!, and Shine, Yahoo! Greg Goodfried, Co-Founder/COO / Co-Creator/Exec. Prod., EQAL / Lonelygirl15 & KateModern Dani Grindlinger, Dir., Advertising Sales Operations & Strategic Initiatives, TiVo Jonathan Handel, Attorney, TroyGould Liz Heller, CEO & Founder, Buzztones Ben Huang, Director, Product Management, Microsoft TV Teemu Huuhtanen, President, N.A., Sulake Inc. Alice Kim, SVP Digital Dist. & Partner Relations, MTV Networks Jason Kirk, VP, Video & Entertainment, MySpace.com John Lawson, EVP, Policy & Strategic Initiatives, ION Media Networks Ariella Lehrer, President & CEO, Legacy Interactive Phil Lelyveld, Entertainment Tech & Bus. Dev. Consultant, reelword.com Lydia Loizides, VP, Product Management, Canoe Ventures LLC Jim Louderback, CEO, Revision3 Joy Marcus, US General Manager, Dailymotion Jarvis Mak, SVP, Global Research and Insights Director, Havas Digital Sharon Metz, VP, Vertical Marketing, Macrovision Solutions Corporation Steve Mitgang, CEO, Veoh Networks Edward Montes, EVP, Managing Director N.A., Media Contacts, Havas Digital Tricia Parks, Founder & CEO, Parks Associates Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company Keith Richman, CEO, Break.com Stan Rogow, CEO, Electric Farm Entertainment, Exec. Producer/Director, "Gemini Division" Ken Rutkowski, Host & President, KenRadio Broadcasting Bill Sanders, President, Pervasive Media Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix Ned Sherman, CEO & Publisher, Digital Media Wire Anthony Soohoo, SVP & GM, Entertainment & Lifestyle Division, CBS Interactive/TV.com Michael Terpin, Founder, SocialRadius Daniel Tibbets, EVP, GoTV Networks Mike Vorhaus, President, Magid Advisors Andrew Wallenstein, Deputy Editor, The Hollywood Reporter David Wertheimer, Exec. Director, The Entertainment Technology Center @ USC Blair Westlake, Corporate VP, Media & Entertainment Group, Microsoft Brett Wilson, CEO, TubeMogul Phil Wiser, Co-Founder, Chairman & President, Sezmi David Wolf, Partner & Sr. Exec. Digital Transformation, Accenture Media & Entertainment Mark Wurtzel, West Coast Sales Manager, Google TV Ads Kevin Yen, Head of Strategic Partnership Development, YouTube

Event sponsors and media partners Macrovision, Move Networks, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Parks Associates, CEA, MoCA, Content Agenda, Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News, webcastr, EMF, Frank N. Magid Associates, New York - Tokyo, Institute for Communication Technology Management (CTM) at USC, Billboard Publicity Wire, Terpin Communications and SocialRadius.

For complete agenda, registration and event details please visit: http://www.televisionconference.com/west.

Other prominent Digital Media Wire events include Future of Television East, Digital Music Forum East & West, LA Games Conference, NY Games Conference and Digital Media Conference East and West.

About Digital Media Wire, Inc.:

Digital Media Wire is an events, news, and publishing company serving the digital entertainment & media industry since May 2000. Digital Media Wire produces executive forums featuring the leading executives in digital media and entertainment. Digital Media Wire also publishes an authoritative daily email newsletter and industry directory. For more information, please visit: www.digitalmediawire.com.

SOURCE Digital Media Wire, Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

More News in this Category