Tuesday, September 30 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM Session C: TV Networks and Interactivity: Evolving Content & Business Models TV networks have embraced interactivity for almost a decade, both with standalone Website content and synchronized, Enhanced TV content. Much has changed over that time, including technological barriers, assumptions about consumer preferences, business models, and the economic climate for interactive experimentation. What's working and what's not? What can the industry expect to see over the next 24 months? Is there a future for synchronized content, or is "interactive TV" destined to be only about VOD and SVOD? In this session we bring together top programming executives and creators who are dealing with what it means to leverage and extend their on-air television programming to the Internet or into the Interactive TV space. Marcia Zellers, Director, Enhanced Television, American Film Institute Ryan O'Hara, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Strategic Planning, Gemstar - TV Guide International Paul Condolora, VP/General Manager, Cartoon Network New Media John Gilles, Director of Interactive Television, TechTV TV Guild John P. Roberts, Senior Vice President Interactive & Online Entertainment, Game Show Network, Moderator Marcia Zellers is the Director of Enhanced Television for the American Film Institute (AFI). Beginning its sixth year, AFI’s Enhanced TV Workshop has produced 40+ enhanced TV prototypes. AFI’s eTV Workshop has become the gathering place for the American eTV creative and technology communities, and is renowned as the premier environment for eTV exploration and development. Zellers has pursued the challenge of a cutting edge, consumer-friendly marriage of television and interactivity since she joined MTV Interactive’s New York headquarters as a founding member in 1994. As a Senior Producer and Director heading up all MTV’s music-related Web strategy, programming and development, creative direction, talent relations, and convergence programming with MTV’s on-air operations, Zellers created and produced some of the earliest enhanced TV programming. Early pioneering examples, which aired on TV, include a split screen production incorporating simultaneous live Web chat with Michael Jackson, Jackson videos, and highlights of Jackson’s career; the Red Hot Chili Peppers live at Madison Square Garden, with simultaneous roaming backstage cameras broadcasting live to the Web; and Janet Jackson on MTV’s Total Request Live interacting on air with viewers on the Web. In 1999 Zellers moved to Los Angeles, where she spearheaded Warner Bros. Online’s Entertaindom project, one of the Web’s then-highest profile entertainment destinations and the first planned broadcast-style distribution model. (Entertaindom was intended to showcase both Time-Warner and non-Time-Warner programming.) As Supervising Producer, she oversaw all aspects of the department and helped develop original programming intended for eventual cross-platform and enhanced development. Zellers has been a new media consultant for entities like New Line Cinema and composer Giorgio Moroder, and previous to AFI was the Vice President of Web Development and Creative Director for Greater Relations Worldwide, a nascent dotcom. Zellers is also a published writer and editor, and has an eclectic background that includes publishing, marketing, advertising, fundraising, and stock brokerage. John Gilles, Director of Interactive Television, TechTV: With a tech savvy audience who is excited by and curious about the latest technologies, TechTV must continuously strive to deliver its viewers with the advanced, interactive experience they desire. John Gilles, TechTV's director of interactive television, succeeds in keeping the network ahead of this interactive curve. A pioneer in the world of interactive television, John's expertise falls in all areas of interactive television and beyond ? from VOD and virtual channels to industry ecology and the latest interactive technologies. He is an expert in the full experience of iTV application deployment, and has seen through the process from application discovery to full interactive deployment. John was instrumental in the launch of the network's interactive virtual channel, TechTVi, on Cablevision System Corporation's suite of digital services, iO: Interactive Optimum. TechTVi provides viewers with an interactive format and video on-demand capability to access its technology information, news and entertainment programming. In addition, John also coordinated the interactive enhancements of various TechTV shows, including Extended Play and Fresh Gear. Using the Wink Platform, these interactive elements are distributed by DirecTV, Charter and Time-Warner. John is a frequent speaker on interactive television and has presented at various industry events including Kagan Interactive TV Summit, Carmel Group's Convergence 2001, Broadband Developers Conference, among others Paul Condolora is VP/General Manager, Cartoon Network New Media. In this capacity, he is responsible for all aspects of Cartoon Network’s rapidly growing U.S. interactive business ventures, including the network’s Internet sites www.CartoonNetwork.com and Adultswim.com, as well as the expansion of network and character brands to emerging interactive technologies such as wireless, broadband and interactive television. Condolora came to Cartoon Network Online from Sony Pictures Imageworks in Los Angeles, where he was the head of the Multimedia Department. At Sony, Condolora supervised more than 20 projects, many award winning, including visual effects for feature films and television shows, Internet games and promotional Web sites. He has also managed the U.S.-based software development for Sony’s ground breaking AIBO entertainment robot. Prior to his role at Imageworks, Condolora was the Director of Special Projects for Sony Pictures Entertainment focusing on business development. Condolora began his entertainment career as a member of Columbia Pictures Management Associates Program. Condolora earned his Master’s Degree in Entertainment Management from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA and his Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York. Additionally, Condolora is an independent filmmaker and a Certified Public Accountant (New York State). A native of Syracuse, NY, he lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters. Ryan O’Hara serves as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning for Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc. Mr. O’Hara focuses on business planning, operational development and corporate deal making for the Company’s publishing, cable and satellite and consumer electronic offerings. Prior to joining the Company in June 2002, Mr. O’Hara was Director of Interactive TV Strategy and Development for another News Corporation related-entity BSKYB, based in London. Mr. O’Hara focused on the integration of the 400-person company Open, which was purchased by BSKYB in June of 2000 and later became the interactive TV unit for BSKYB. He also worked with broadcasters, such as MTV, Sky Sports and Disney, and technology companies, such as NDS, OpenTV and Astra, to build out BSKYB's interactive television offering. And he managed the marketing and launch of several interactive television products that increased revenues, improved customer satisfaction and helped reduced churn to assist BSKYB’s core television distribution business reach its growth objectives. Prior to BSKYB, Mr. O’Hara worked for Fox Cable Networks and its predecessor, Fox/Liberty Networks. As Director of Business Development, he helped launch the Regional Sports Report on 17 Fox Sports Nets. Additionally, he worked on rights acquisitions/partnerships such as NASCAR, ACC basketball, Major League Baseball and various regional sports buys that aired on FSN, FX, Speedvision and Fox Sports. He also assisted the senior management at Fox Cable Networks in network-related operational analysis evaluating growth opportunities and efficiency measures. Finally, he focused on extending the Fox brands through new media initiatives via the internet and interactive TV. Earlier in his career, Mr. O’Hara worked in brand management with Nestle and was an entertainment management consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. O’Hara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Stanford University and received a Masters of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. He and his wife Victoria reside in Los Angeles, California. JOHN P. ROBERTS, Senior Vice President, Interactive, and Online Entertainment, Game Show Network: iTV pioneer and the visionary behind the 2002 launch of Game Show Network’s (GSN) ground breaking interactive television services, John P. Roberts brings to GSN a rich background in developing new technologies for the high-speed, broadband universe. While fostering industry-wide acceptance of new interactive technology applications, Roberts has positioned GSN a new era of high-speed, broadband entertainment. As senior vice president of interactive and online entertainment, Roberts and his team have created a futuristic template for cable and satellite TV distributors to offer more innovative interactive services to their customers. His relationship with the interactive arm of the MSO’s complements that of GSN’s affiliate sales team and helps complete the package of available GSN services. Tying the launch of GSN’s interactive services with the launch of a half-dozen original game show series, the network now features 84 hours per week of interactive TV (iTV) programming. Remarkably, in one year’s time, the number of iTV users registering as GSN interactive players has increased from 6,000 to over 1 million strong. In addition to Roberts’ duties producing the interactive programming, he is also charged with overseeing GSN’s website, gameshownetwork.com, including the production of multi-player Shockwave games. Of GSN’s four television multi-player games, the most popular is the newest, LINGO PLUS, a five-letter word-guessing-game tailored after GSN’s popular primetime counterpart. Prior to joining Game Show Network in June 2001, Roberts was senior vice president of internet and iTV development at Vulcan Programming II, a division of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan Ventures. He was responsible for the development, supervision and implementation of interactive and convergence strategies for Vulcan’s digital cable networks and other Internet-based Web programming content. Previously, Roberts served as vice president of new media for Fox Family Worldwide, Inc., where he oversaw all aspects of Internet development for the networks’ websites including foxkids.com and foxfamilychannel.com. Additionally, Roberts spearheaded the Fox Family convergence task force, which explored opportunities in interactive television. His background includes business development at Universal Studios New Media Group, where he set up strategic relationships with outside partners and brought in new business for the online production group. For Fox Broadcasting Company, Roberts created the corporate online department and supervised the launch of the network’s website. Additionally, he was part of the marketing team that launched the cable channel FX, for which he also oversaw the premiere of network website launch. A frequent speaker on new media, Roberts has appeared on panels at the American Television Academy, the National Association of Television Programming Executives (NATPE), and Digital Hollywood conferences, among others. He also recently served as a judge for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) first-ever interactive Emmy Award and is a member on the organizing committee for the cable television’s Western Show. He also serves on the advisory boards for Digital Coast Roundtable and Interactive Television Alliance (ITA). A native of Rochester, New York, Roberts graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in TV and film production from the State University of New York, Fredonia.