3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
DH8: Session B:
Digital Entertainment Convergence: Old Media and New Media Converge on the Net
Another corporate announcement declaring the “convergence” of broadband technology and content is so commonplace, it is practically old hat. But that doesn’t make it any less significant. If a content company isn’t partnered with a broadband delivery company, it is suspect. And if a technology company doesn’t have a ready content game plan, it is perceived as potentially falling behind the competition. What is a telecommunications company without a cable play? What does it mean to be a media company today? In trying to focus on these questions, Digital Hollywood brings together some of the leading figures from entertainment and technology in an effort to make sense out of the movement of the entertainment industry into a broadband environment. What does it mean to be a music company, a film company or a television company in a broadband environment? Entertainment convergence is not theory to our guests - it is their everyday practice.
Cindy Johanson, Senior Vice President, Internet and Broadband Services, PBS Public Broadcasting Service
Larry Meistrich, Chairman & CEO, Shooting Gallery
Patrick Kennedy, Senior Vice President, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment
Jon Klein, President & CEO, The Feedroom
Neil Braun, President, Media, Vast Video (former President, NBC Entertainment)
Lisa Crane, Managing Partner, Media Venture Advisors
Steven L. Canepa, Vice President Marketing Global Media & Entertainment Industry, IBM Corp., Moderator
Cindy Johanson, Senior Vice President, Internet and Broadband Services, Public Broa
dcasting Service: Cindy Johanson is PBS senior vice president of Internet and broadband services, overseeing the development, production and day-to-day operation of PBS Online (www.pbs.org) and PBS’s broadband initiatives. As PBS expands its brand into new media and digital television, it is pioneering the integration of broadcast television and data into a complete multimedia learning service for homes and schools. Ms. Johanson has managed PBS Online since its launch in September 1995. Through partnerships with PBS stations and producers, PBS Online has grown to become one of the premier sites on the World Wide Web, attracting more than six million visits each month, winning three Webby Awards and earning hundreds of new media accolades. PBS Online includes PBS KIDS, PBS TeacherSource and more than 400 content sub-sites. Working with Intel Corporation, Ms. Johanson directed the development of interactive content for the world’s first enhanced television broadcast: the November 1998 airing by PBS stations of Frank Lloyd Wright. During 2000, PBS and Intel will premiere the first round-the-clock enhanced television service delivering data to viewers with PCs and set-top boxes. Before coming to PBS in 1993, Ms. Johanson was the manager of the National Teacher Training Institute for Math, Science & Technology at New York’s WNET. In 1989, Ms. Johanson joined WNET to coordinate customer support for its text-based Learning Link online service. Ms. Johanson holds an M.A. in education from Columbia University’s Teachers College and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Ohio University.Jonathan Klein, President and CEO, The FeedRoom: The FeedRoom founder Jonath
an Klein is former Executive Vice President of CBS News, where he oversaw the prime-time magazines 60 Minutes and 48 Hours, the launch of the Eye On People (now Discovery People) cable channel, and strategic planning for news. As a news and documentary producer at CBS's Morning News, Weekend News, 48 Hours, and Public Eye With Bryant Gumbel, Klein won multiple Emmy and Peabody Awards. He became renowned for pioneering new forms of storytelling as the creator of the innovative cinema verite series "Before Your Eyes". Klein is interested in speaking about his new company, The FeedRoom at the Digital Hollywood Conference in NY. The FeedRoom is the first broadband, interactive news network offering the latest news video from the world's most reliable sources in one easy-to-find location.Larry Meistrich, Chairman & CEO, Shooting Gallery: As founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Shooting Gallery since its inception in 1990, Larry Meistrich has received the highest respect and recognition for his commitment to story over the past ten years and for the creation of a place where new talent and ideas merge to become new and exciting content experiences across all media platforms. An integral part of the production of roughly 100 films, commercials and music videos, his producing credits include such critically acclaimed projects as Kenneth Lonergan’s You Can Count on Me (Grand jury Prize, waldo Salt Screenwriting Award; 2000 Sundance Film Festival), Billy Bob Thornton’s Sling Blade (Best Adapted Screenplay; 1996 Academy Award), Nick Gomez’s Laws of Gravity, Bob Gosse’s Niagara Niagara (Best Actress; 1997 Venice International Film Festival) and Hal Hartley’s Henry Fool (Screenplay Award; 1998 Cannes International Film Festival). Mr. Meistrich demonstrates a unique ability to seek out and bring to the screen the exceptional work of innovative filmmakers. With his completely unique multimedia studio, he has also proven to be a savvy businessman. Shooting Gallery now distributes the films the company produces and acquires both domestically and internationally. Along with President Stephen Carlis, Mr. Meistrich earned the 1999 New York City Entrepreneur of the Year Award for production and post-production services made available to the City through the Gun For Hire, the first all-inclusive media production centers. They also garnered the 1998 Crain’s Small Business Award for their efforts in the development of the Centers. Gun For Hire covers more than 400,000 square feet across North America in New York, Miami, Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles to house interactive, film, television and commercial companies. Centers will expand to Europe and Asia. As a means of giving something back to the community, Mr. Meistrich created the R.E.A.C.H. (Rallying the Entertainment and Athletic Communities to Help) Foundation for inner city schools and children with life-threatening disease. A dedicated advocate of independent filmmaking, Mr. Meistrich currently serves on the boards of New York Production Alliance, the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and Volunteer lawyers for the Arts. He is often a guest speaker at both Harvard University and Columbia University’s business schools. Often a panelist and featured speaker at festivals and forums, Mr. Meistrich participates in such events ranging from the Sundance and the Berlin film festivals to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Smithsonian Institute. Shooting Gallery recently produced Bob Gosse’s, Julie Johnson, starring Lili Taylor and Courtney Love, and Laurence Fishburne’s directorial debut, Once in the Life, in which he also stars. Still expanding in theaters across the nation, is its most recent acquisition Mike Hodges’ Croupier, a breakout success story from the Shooting Gallery Film Series at Loews Cineplex Entertainment, a series of critically acclaimed films that are distributed nationwide.
Neil Braun, President, Media, Vast Video: With a wealth of management experience in the businesses of broadcast, cable, and moviemaking, Neil Braun serves our team as president, media. As such, Mr. Braun oversees the day-to-day operations of the company to assure company goals and industry demands are met. Prior to joining VastVideo, Mr.Braun served as president and chief executive officer of iCast Corporation,a CMGi company. Mr. Braun is a former president of NBC television and corporate officer of the General Electric Company. He has also served as chairman and chief executive officer of Viacom Entertainment and president and chief executive officer of Imagine Film Entertainment. Mr. Braun was the senior vice president of film programming and executive vice president of home video at Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO). While at HBO, Mr. Braun also headed the film financing and home-video activities and was part of the negotiating team for the licensing of pay television. Mr. Braun holds a JD from the University of Chicago and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Dr. Anne Flick, have two children and live in New York City.
Patrick Kennedy, Senior Vice President, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment: Patrick Kennedy joined Sony Pictures Entertainment in 1996, after two years as a strategy consultant with Monitor Company's Los Angeles office. An engineer by education (M.S.E.E., Ph.D. ABD from Stanford), Mr. Kennedy has focused his professional career on business strategy and corporate development issues in the telecom and entertainment fields. Since joining Sony, he has worked on film financing, business plans for international cable / satellite TV channels and on strategic investments in new media companies. In 1997, he was asked to represent Sony Pictures in Tokyo to work with Sony Corporation on negotiations and planning for the launch of a major satellite television service, JskyB. Once JSkyB was founded, he stayed in Japan to form Sony Pictures Television Japan and to launch two satellite channels for SPE: AXN and Animax. After returning from Tokyo in 1998, Mr. Kennedy assumed leadership of a group of M.B.A.'s involved in analyzing TV and new media investment opportunities available to Sony Pictures around the world. Mr. Kennedy was instrumental in SPE's recent reorganization of its digital media assets into the newly created Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, where he reports to Yair Landau.
Steven L. Canepa, Vice President Marketing Global Media & Entertainment Industry, IB
M Corp.: As Vice President Marketing and Strategy, Global Media and Entertainment Industry, Mr. Canepa is responsible for IBM's strategy, market-share, business attainment, industry solutions and product offerings for Entertainment, Sports, Broadcast, Cable, Publishing and Advertising customers worldwide. In addition to his management responsibilities, Mr. Canepa has participated in the structuring and negotiation of numerous consulting, services, product and partner agreements; leading the development of IBM's Global Media and Entertainment solutions business from startup to a profitable worldwide organization with over 250 members. In addition, he has developed the business strategy and plan for two Interactive WWW joint ventures and is a regular speaker at industry events, including keynote addresses at NAB and Broadcast Asia. Mr. Canepa has extensive knowledge of how the application of technology can be used to create value for an organization. He has consulted extensively with many senior executives regarding how they can enable new revenue sources, extend their brands, and create value by better managing, distributing and repurposing digital content; gaining better customer insights and knowledge by using interactive techniques -- linking their existing physical goods processes/infrastructure to their digital initiatives. Mr. Canepa joined IBM in January 1983 as a sales trainee in Los Angeles.Lisa Crane, Managing Partner, Media Venture Advisors: Lisa Crane is Managing Partner of Media Venture Advisors, an e-consulting firm providing strategic consulting services to leading Inter
net and entertainment companies. Current clients include PC Data Online, eUniverse, SpongeLab, Amicada, Kamoon and On2.com. In addition, Crane serves as a consultant to the RIAA, advising on the facilitation of royalty agreements between the RIAA and Webcasters. She is helping the RIAA understand the variety of business models used by Webcasters and is working to help the RIAA become more responsive to Webcasters needs as well as identify their role within the marketplace. Prior to Media Venture Advisors, Crane was President and CEO of Soundbreak.com, the interactive online music experience featuring professional digital jocks who host live 24-hour global Webcasts while interacting with users online. Crane built the company into a highly trafficked, renowned market leader with a world-class team of 90 professionals and 850,000 registered users. Under her direction, Soundbreak was the first major consumer Web business to be in full compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and licensed to Webcast music from the RIAA’s membership of music labels worldwide. Previously, Crane was Vice President of NBC Interactive and General Manager of NBC.com, the network’s flagship entertainment Website. While at NBC.com, Crane developed and executed highly successful strategies for e-commerce, promotions, content and program development. She was also responsible for the Videoseeker broadband portal for NBC Interactive’s West Coast operations and creative teams, and served as liaison for NBC’s strategic investment partners, including Snap.com, iVillage, Talk City, Launch, Intervu and others. Crane also oversaw online and interactive programs for NBC’s Entertainment division and helped steer the overall strategy for convergence of traditional and new media. Crane left NBC when the interactive division, along with Xoom and Snap, was sold to become NBCi. Prior to NBC, Crane served as Vice President of Universal Studios Online where she ran UniversalStudios.com, the company’s aggregate Web presence encompassing its music, video, theatrical, television and theme park units, as well as Spencer gifts. At Universal, she created the studios’ first profitable Website, "Horror Online." In addition, she launched Universal’s first online store, chat business and online memorabilia auction. Her previous roles at Universal included: Vice President of Marketing for New Media, Vice President of Specialty Licensing for Consumer Products and Director of Animation Art. Crane sits on the board of advisors to virtualis (www.virtualis.com), eStar (www.estar.com), On2.com (www.On2.com) and Pulse Entertainment (www.pulsenetwork.com). She also serves on the Los Angeles Digital Coast Roundtable, is a board member of the LA District Attorney’s Crime Prevention Foundation and is active in the Motion Picture and Television Fund. Previous speaking engagements include Internet World, eMediatainment World, @dtech, Ebiz, Digital Hollywood, NAB, the Morgan Stanley/Industry Standard Internet Summit, DDMI, CMJ/Change Music, BandWidth, Digital Coast 1999/2000, Herring on Hollywood, Variety’s Internet Summit, Jupiter’s PlugIn, Radio & Records, VIC’s Industry Breakfast and many others. She has also taught a class at UCLA Extension in e-business and entertainment.