Monday, September 27 10:45 AM - Noon Track III: Wireless – Participation TV Programming & Marketing - "SMS – Mobile and Telephony" With the explosion of reality TV programming, so has the phenomenon of participation TV, the polls, the contests, the games, quizzes and chats – value-added concepts integrated into the context of the TV programming. From sporting events to quiz and reality shows, Participation TV is being embraced by the consumer. In this session, we will hear from the experts about both the phenomenon of the programming as well as the technological advances being made to enhance the relationship between the programmer and the viewer. A bonus in this process is of course the profitability of the enterprise. What does it mean to the programmer, the advertiser or mobile partner when ten million viewers are engaged in a participating experience? What is the future of Participation TV? What does it mean for the bottom line? In this session, we will explore a growing phenomenon and opportunity. Elizabeth Sherman, Vice President, New Media, Endemol USA (Fear Factor, Big Brother) Ross Levinsohn, Senior Vice President & General Manager – Fox Sports Interactive Media Bruce Gersh, Senior Vice President Business Development, ABC Entertainment Group Brian Levin, CEO, Mobliss Howard Handler, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Mobile USA Keith Hindle, VP Integrated Marketing and Interactivity, FremantleMedia North America (American Idol) Chris Marlowe, Associate Editor, New Media/Technology, The Hollywood Reporter, Moderator Bruce Gersh was named Senior Vice President Business Development, ABC Entertainment Group, in April 2004. In this position, Mr. Gersh has responsibility for all traditional and online business development programs across ABC Daytime/Primetime, Touchstone Television. Since joining ABC in 2000, Mr. Gersh has been involved in several groundbreaking business development initiatives for the online and traditional business units of the Network. Mr. Gersh developed the nation's first "premium-rate" Short Messaging Service campaign for ABC Daytime. Mr. Gersh also devised and manages, "Shop the Soaps" on ABC Daytime, which is considered to be the first fully integrated cross-media shopping program on network television. Finally, Mr. Gersh oversees several new business initiatives including, merchandise licensing, book publishing, music soundtracks, home video, e-commerce, and product placement. Before joining ABC, Mr. Gersh was a business development consultant for NBC Enterprises, where he identified and created new revenue generating programs. Mr. Gersh was instrumental in the creation and expansion of the NBC direct response business, which was measured as revolutionary in the network television world. Prior to joining ABC, Mr. Gersh was a business development consultant for NBC Enterprises, where he identified and created new revenue generating programs. He began his career at Arthur Andersen, and was recently selected by the Hollywood Reporter in the Next Generation issue as one of the young executives poised to become an industry leader. Mr. Gersh holds a degree in Accounting Theory and Practice from California State University, Northridge. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Sharon, and their three children, Casey, Nicki and Hailey. Elizabeth Sherman, Vice President, New Media, Endemol USA: Elizabeth Sherman, the Vice President of New Media, oversees marketing, licensing and new media initiatives encompassing online and wireless for Endemol USA’s portfolio of television properties, including the hit shows Fear Factor (NBC), Big Brother (CBS), Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition (ABC) and the upcoming reality show Todd TV on FX. Endemol is one of the largest independent television production companies in the world with more than 500 television formats and 15,000 hours of programming. Prior to joining Endemol USA, Ms. Sherman was the Director of Programming, Development, Marketing and Promotions for Warner Bros. Online. During her tenure at the studio, she oversaw content and promotion of Warner Bros. programming on the Internet and America Online for high profile brands, including Friends, ER andThe Rosie O’Donnell Show. Ms. Sherman came to Warner Bros. from Time Inc. Ventures Television. She was Co-Creator and Creative Consultant on the critically acclaimed television series, Your Mind & Body, syndicated by Warner Bros., which was awarded the 1996 American Women in Radio and Television Award for superior production quality. Ms. Sherman holds an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. She resides with her husband in Los Angeles. Endemol USA is a leading producer of television programming specializing in reality and non-scripted genres for network and cable television and is a division of Endemol Holding, a prominent international content developer, producer and distributor of television and online programming. The company, headquartered in the Netherlands, has subsidiaries and joint ventures in twenty-two countries, including the major European markets, the U.S., South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. Endemol Entertainment is a fully owned subsidiary of telecommunications giant Telefónica S.A., one of the largest companies in Spain. Ross Levinsohn, Senior Vice President & General Manager – Fox Sports Interactive Media: As Senior Vice President and General Manager, Ross Levinsohn is responsible for the overall Interactive Media businesses of for FOX SPORTS including internet, wireless, broadband and interactive television. In this role, he oversees the interactive presence and opportunities for Fox Sports, Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports World and Fuel, the new extreme sports and lifestyle channel. His responsibilities include oversight of all aspects of the interactive businesses and interaction between all four broadcast and cable networks within the Fox Sports Group. Prior to joining Fox, Levinsohn served as Vice President and Executive Producer of the AltaVista Network. In this role, he was responsible for the overall development and implementation of the AltaVista Network, which includes all search, directory and content areas within the site. He joined the company in April, 1999 as Vice President and General Manager, New Media, where he oversaw the development and launch of AltaVista LIVE!, the personalized portal content offering from AltaVista, which launched in October, 1999. Previously, Levinsohn served as Vice President, Programming and Executive Producer of CBS Sportsline, where he oversaw all content and development for the top rated sports site. As one of the first employees at the internet start up, Levinsohn helped craft the overall online strategy for the company, and managed the day to day programming and content execution for the web site and its related production relationships with AOL, PGA Tour.com, Michael Jordan.com; and, SanFrancisco49ers.com. He also created and served as Executive Producer for the syndicated weekly television program "Football Playbook" starring former NFL coaches Marv Levy and Sam Wyche. Prior to joining CBS Sportsline, Levinsohn was Director of Production and Marketing Enterprises for HBO. In that role, he developed television programming, and licensing, merchandising and new media opportunities for the world’s largest Pay-TV network. Levinsohn spent three years at ProServ, Inc., a leading sports marketing and management company, where he represented a variety of athletes and developed marketing and sponsorship programs. He began his career at Saatchi and Saatchi in New York, and worked at the sports public relations firm Lapin and Rose, where he oversee marketing and publicity for a variety of sports clients including Top Rank Boxing, Showtime and the MLB Old Timers Baseball Series. Levinsohn is an advisory board member for Winmec, the Wireless Internet for the Mobile Enterprise Consortium and Convizion, a privately funded digital rights management company. He is also a former board member of the Florida Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 1995, while at HBO, GQ Magazine named him one of the "40 under 40" people to watch in the sports business. Howard Handler, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Mobile USA: Howard joined VMU as chief marketing officer in January 2003. In this role, Howard leads all of Virgin Mobile’s branding, promotion, publicity, consumer marketing, content development and retail sales efforts. Howard brings 20 years of experience as a recognized brand builder and leader across a range of world class brands, including The National Football League, MTV: Music Television, Saturday Night Live and The Quaker Oats Company. Howard most recently served as president and chief executive officer of Burly Bear Network, a start-up cable network and youth marketing company, where he more than tripled revenues in two years before selling the business to National Lampoon. Before this, Howard was senior vice president of marketing and fan development for The National Football League. During his six-year tenure, he led the creation of the league’s first imaging campaign, "Feel The Power," developed the NFL’s integrated youth initiative, "Play Football," and built up the company’s retail division with the introduction of the "NFL Shop." Earlier, Howard served as senior vice president of marketing for MTV: Music Television where he played a central role in the launch of "Beavis & Butt-head", "The Jon Stewart Show," "The Real World," and the Peabody Award-winning "Choose or Lose" voter awareness campaign. Prior to MTV, Howard was vice president of marketing for Broadway Video Entertainment, producers of "Saturday Night Live." He launched his career in brand management at The Quaker Oats Company in Chicago. Howard holds a bachelor’s degree and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. Keith Hindle, Vice President Integrated Marketing and Interactive, FremantleMedia North America: FremantleMedia is the world’s largest television production company with over 200 original productions on air in over 40 countries. It is the TV content division of the Bertelsmann media corporation and part of the RTL Group, Europe’s largest broadcaster. Keith oversees the interactive and show integration activities of Fremantle in the US, including brands such as American Idol and The Price is Right. He previously worked for Fremantle in London and Germany where he managed international M&A, and prior to this worked for Time Warner, Unilever and Shell Oil. Keith holds an honors degree in business and a post-graduate finance qualification (CIMA). He is a former Scottish junior chess champion, is married and lives in New York City, and is aged 33. Brian Levin, CEO, Mobliss: Mr. Levin is CEO of Mobliss, a wireless media and marketing company based in Seattle, Washington. He works with consumer brands, media, entertainment companies, and wireless carriers to create mobile interactivity to engage consumers. Mr. Levin is a pioneer of wireless media in the USA, providing the text-messaging technology for American Idol, which is widely credited with sparking mass adoption in America. Mobliss has powered mobile interactivity for Fox, FremantleMedia, Endemol, CBS, ESPN, TV Guide, Nickelodeon, FX Network, USA Network, Univision, Telemundo, Reveille and Tribune. Mr. Levin is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Mobile Marketing Association and the Cellular Telecommunications Internet Association.