10:45 AM - Noon
Track III:
Everything-on-Demand: From the Server to the Set-Top Box - Movies, TV Programs, Games and More - Enhanced Content Opportunity Now in 50 Million Homes
The consumer has accepted the upgrade to DTV. The numbers are still coming in, but digital upgrades are approaching 40 million homes. Soon the majority of homes will have access to the advanced set-top features only dreamed about a few years ago. The set-top as 500 channel universe, set-top as broadband connection, set-top as on-demand service, as PVR and time-shifting device, set-top as interactive terminal and communications device. Maybe we should rename DTV Set-top, the Entertainment Super Appliance, because it will be about ten things more than a TV. In this session we bring together the companies and players who are at the heart of the server to the set-top transformation. What will be the likely scenarios of implementation and change? This is the place to find out.
David B. Davies, Vice President of Strategic Marketing for Subscriber Networks, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.
Reggie Bradford, president & CEO, N2 Broadband
Mike Pulli, President Pace Micro Technology Americas
Richard D. Titus, President, Schematic
Joseph Ambeault, Director of Broadband Systems, SeaChange International
Yoav Tzruva, Vice President, Products & Markets Strategy, Exent Technologies
Mike Katz, Senior Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Moderator
Joseph Ambeault, Director of Broadband Systems, SeaChange International: With deep experience in the field with television companies, networks and ad
vertisers, product line strategist and business manager Joseph Ambeault contributes to the development of SeaChange’s personal television platforms and software. He is focused on the company’s most recent advancements for on-demand and digital cable advertising delivery, ad targeting, and real-time availability of broadcast television programs for on-demand viewing. The emergence of on-demand services and new advertising capabilities require the participation of a broad range of key participants including television and film studios, ad agencies, broadcasters and cable operators. Ambeault shares the experience of SeaChange’s research & development and deployment work with these audiences through his efforts for Cable and Telecommunications Association for Marketing, the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the Society of Cable and Telecommunications Engineers. Ambeault most recently addressed NATAS, SCTE, EGTA and Korean Cable Television Association conferences on topics including time-shifted television, video-on-demand deployment and digital cable program insertion. His operations- and business-oriented bylined articles and commentaries have published in television and advertising trade publications in the U.S. and throughout Europe and Asia Pacific. Previously, Ambeault was product manager for SeaChange’s advertising insertion system, the platform entrusted with $4 billion in local cable ad business annually. He made his start with SeaChange in its worldwide customer service organization. Prior to joining SeaChange, he was an IT network manager for the Bank of Tokyo, one of the world’s largest financial institutions. Ambeault earned his BA in philosophy and computer science at Brandeis University near Boston.David B. Davies, Vice President of Strategic Marketing for Subscribe
r Networks, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc.: Dave Davies currently serves as Vice President of Strategic Marketing for Subscriber Networks, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. In his role, Davies is responsible for Scientific-Atlanta’s product marketing and business development for all subscriber-facing products including the Explorer“ line of interactive set-tops and cable modems. In addition, he is responsible for strategy and marketing for the most popular cable services including digital video recording (DVR), high-definition television (HDTV) and video-on-demand (VOD.) Most recently, Davies directed the launch of Explorer® 8000HD™ with DVR. This revolutionary product merges the pristine picture quality of HDTV with Digital Video Recording capabilities to enable consumers to watch whatever they want whenever they want to.Prior to assuming his current position at Scientific Atlanta, Davies was a Senior Associate with Booz, Allen & Hamilton Inc, a leading global strategy and management consulting firm, where he focused on both corporate and operations strategy. He also has prior experience in the areas of system engineering and product development and manufacturing at various technology companies. Davies is a member of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) and has recently spoken at several industry conferences including Digital Hollywood, Kagan, CTAM, and CES. Davies has an M.B.A. from Harvard University Graduate School of Business, an M.S./M.E. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S./M.E. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Mike Pulli, President, Pace Micro Technology Americas: Earlier this year Mike Pulli was appointed President of Pace Micro Technology’s America operations, located in Boca Raton. Pace is a world leader in developing, designing and distributing digital set-top technologies. In the Americas, Pace’s customers include Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House. Prior to Pace, Mike was a CEO of Digital Latin America (DLA) since its inception in March of 2000. DLA integrates video, audio and data services in its Coral Springs facility for transmission throughout Latin America thus reducing digital barriers of entry for cable companies. In his eight-year career at Motorola, prior to DLA, Mr Pulli held several positions including Vice President of International Operations, Vice President / Managing Director – Latin America, Director of Wireless Products Management and Director of Business Planning. Before joining Motorola, Mike was employed by Allied-Signal, Inc where he served in a variety financial positions including: Director of International Finance and Director of Foreign Exchange and Global Cash Management. Mike holds a BS in Accounting from Rider University and an MBA from Farleigh Dickinson University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Reggie Bradford, president & CEO, N2 Broadband: Mr. Bradford’s re
sults-driven leadership has placed N2 Broadband at the forefront of the cable industry’s evolution toward entertainment-on-demand. Mr. Bradford oversees a growing and talented team focused on efficiently delivering next generation digital media services to the cable and entertainment industries. In his tenure at N2 Broadband, the company has experienced 292% growth and has penetrated all five of the top MSOs with at least one product. Past speaking appearances include The Western Show, Digital Hollywood and Digital Media Wire, as well as numerous investor conferences. Prior to joining N2 Broadband, Mr. Bradford served as chief marketing officer at WebMD Corp., where he played an integral role in building a fledgling start-up with 40 employees into one of the fastest growing, most recognized Internet brands in the world backed by 5,000 employees and more than $2 billion in funding. His career spans a broad range of operations, management, and marketing positions in traditional and emerging sectors, including various stints with Miller Brewing Company and Philip Morris. Reggie earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Emory University.Richard D. Titus, President, Schematic: Richard is the President of S
chematic, a leading design firm based in Hollywood, which is the market leader in interface design for television. Schematic’s clients include Cablevision, Microsoft, several divisions of Sony, and Turner Entertainment. Schematic’s interface designs have been created for and deployed on a wide range of platforms, including Playstation and Xbox, most set-top box platforms, and wireless devices and services. Richard's attention has consistently been focused on the crossroads of entertainment and technology. As co-founder, CEO, and President of < tag > media (acquired by Razorfish in August 1998), Richard served as the Managing Director of the Los Angeles office, where grew the office into a division employing 200 professionals, both organically and through the acquisition of broadcast design firm FUEL in mid 1999. Richard helped establish Razorfish’s new platforms practices (including wireless and ITV) and served on the corporate management team until his departure in 2001. Richard’s pioneering work in entertainment on the Internet includes, TheVisitor.Com, created and produced with Dean Devlin (ID4, The Patriot) in 1997, in conjunction with the Fox Network TV series and began during his stint as a sound engineer for the Beach Boys, beta-testing Digidesign's Pro Tools software on Summer In Paradise, the first all-digital, "tapeless" major record album. Richard serves on the board of Governors and as vice-chair of the Producer’s Guild New Media Council, on the advisory boards of the AFI Enhanced TV Workshop and the ITA and serves on the Interactive Media Peer group of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. For the last three years, the Digital Coast Reporter Magazine has named Richard one of the 50 most influential people in the Digital Coast.Mike Katz is a senior vice president with Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., special
izing in media and entertainment. He has over twenty-five years of consulting experience at Booz Allen. As an industry expert in media and entertainment, Mike has helped clients with issues across technology, operations and strategy. As a functional expert in technology and e-Business, he has also worked across a broad range of industries. Mike has closely followed developments in digital media, including digital cinema, digital music, and digital photography. He has examined the impact and likely evolution of home networking and its convergence with consumer electronics and personal computing. He has also analyzed business models and digital rights management strategies for digital music subscription services, as well as video on demand. In addition, Mike recently published a report on potential scenarios for roll out of digital cinema technology and its potential impact on the theatrical venue. Mike has worked extensively in broadcast television and cable, primarily in advertising sales, traffic, revenue management, and information technology. He also has extensive experience in music, working with labels, distribution, retailers/e-tailers and clubs. This experience has included performance improvement, restructuring, marketing analytics, distribution and pricing strategy and royalties. Mike has helped clients deal with a broad spectrum of sales and marketing issues, ranging from product and market strategy to field sales automation. This work has encompassed pricing, product and account profitability, channel strategy, sales effectiveness, database marketing, direct marketing and e-business customer acquisition and retention. He has extensive experience with electronic products and has helped clients deal with transition issues as they migrated products from print to print/online offerings. Working as a functional expert in Information Technology and eBusiness, Mike has worked with clients in telecommunications, computer hardware and software, online services, consumer products, retail, aerospace and financial services. Mike speaks regularly to the press on digital entertainment issues. Recently, he appeared on ABC News, CNBC and CNNfn and has been quoted in the Los Angeles Times, CIO Magazine, Information Week and Investor’s Business Daily, among others. He has also been published in strategy+business magazine. Mike has a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and an MBA in Management Science and Finance from Columbia University.