11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
DH11: Session A:
Development of Streaming Video Programming: The Launch of an Information or Entertainment Channel
What seemed like a new idea, even revolutionary, six months ago now seems practically old hat. The idea of broadband information and entertainment networks is now not only an accepted model of programming, it’s becoming a staple in Net communication. If you are among those who still think that streaming video has a problem because it is too herky-jerky and doesn’t compare to a broadcast signal, forget about it. Because like the overnight arrival and popularity of MP3 technology, this is the year of streaming video programming. Every television and film production entity had better figure out how to implement this technology and get its content streaming if it wants to play a part in the future. This is an exciting time to be in the entertainment industry, and in this session we bring together Internet programmers producing on the front lines.
Cynthia Brown, Director of Entertainment Content, Lycos, Inc.
Marty Perlmutter, Evangelist, Broadband and Wireless, Looksmart
Jeff Morris, President & CEO, YACK.com
Jeffrey A. Stern, CEO, Lineup Technologies
Scott Ehrlich, Senior Consultant, RealNetworks
Eric Scholl, Executive Producer and Director, Yahoo! Finance Vision, Yahoo! Inc.
Neil McGinness, Sr. Vice President Business Development, Burly Bear Network, Moderator
Jeffrey A. Stern: As founder and CEO of Lineup Technologies, Inc., Jeffrey A. Stern
oversees all operations, partnerships and strategic alliances of the next-generation broadband syndication company. After graduating from Harvard University in 1980, Stern founded City Limits, a Boston-area entertainment magazine, and spent the next twenty years in the upper management levels of several high-profile publishing companies prior to starting Lineup Technologies, Inc. Following the launch of City Limits, Stern launched Newsweek On Campus in New York before he was appointed business manager of Newsweek magazine. He was then recruited by Ziff Davis to be general manager of their Special Markets Group, where he oversaw all operations of Unique Homes magazine and University Communications. In 1986, Stern was named president and publisher of Details magazine, where he worked closely with venture capitalist Alan Patricof to lead the troubled monthly into the black and establish the brand as a major twenty-something lifestyle publication prior to its successful sale to Conde Nast in 1988. In 1990, Stern moved back to his native Los Angeles and founded the JSA Group. Among the company’s diverse interests, JSA Group published the entertainment guides for Ticketmaster. Eventually, JSA Group expanded its operations into the publishing and direct marketing arenas of the burgeoning Hispanic market, and in 1999 launched InternetMercado, a website that works in tandem with JSA’s other direct marketing ventures. Earlier this year, Stern observed that much of the great online content being developed was going unobserved. As a result, Stern founded Lineup Technologies to develop a company that would match viewers with personalized content, offering a one-stop shopping syndication program to enable both content creators and distributors to monetize their assets. Stern continues to reside in Santa Monica with his wife, their two daughters and a chocolate lab named Coco.Eric Scholl, Executive Producer and Director, Yahoo! Finance Vision, Yahoo! Inc.: Eric Scholl is the executive producer and director of Yahoo! Inc. FinanceVision. In this role, Scholl oversees the development of streaming video and data content for Web distribution. Prior to his arrival at Yahoo! in September 1999, he was the executive producer of CNNfn where he headed up the production team which launched the network in December 1995 and was subsequently responsible for programming, daily news coverage, and editing. The programs Scholl created for CNNfn included the first daily show devoted to technology and technology investing, as well as the first daily show devoted to deal-making and initial public offerings. In addition, Scholl served as the executive producer of MONEYLINE WITH LOU DOBBS, CNN’s flagship nightly business program. Before starting up CNNfn, Scholl had been with NBC Hong Kong, where he was responsible for launching its new Asia networks. He had previously been managing editor for NHK Television in Tokyo for five years, where he developed news programs that were seen on ABC, CNBC, SkyTelevision and ABN, on every continent around the globe. Scholl began his television career with CNN Business News in 1981 and worked as a producer, news editor and supervising producer before going to Asia in 1990. In addition to his television work, Scholl has had articles published in The New York Times, TJFR (financial news trade publication,) and Playboy. He received a George Foster Peabody Award for coverage of the 1987 stock market crash. Scholl holds a B.A. in English from Columbia University.
Neil McGinness is Senior Vice President for Business Development at the Burly
Bear Network, the nation's largest college cable television network. In this role he plans and creates strategic relationships which benefit Burly Bear Network's efforts on-air, on-campus, and online at www.burlybear.com. Prior to joining Burly Bear Network, Mr. McGinness was Vice President for Business Development at Burly Bear Network's parent company Broadway Video Entertainment. Owned by "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels, Broadway Video Entertainment develops and produces entertainment in television, recorded music, and new media. Mr. McGinness began his career at Broadway Video Entertainment in 1992. He holds a master's degree from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts' Institute of Film and Television and received a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University.Cynthia Brown is the Director of Content for the Lycos Entertainment Destination. In this role, she is responsible for managing all content and integration of content on the Lycos Entertainment Channel and also for the day-to-day management of programming and program content on Lycos Entertainment. Cynthia joined Lycos in its early infancy in 1996 as Executive Producer. She was responsible for building the original team of editors, program developers, and designers for Lycos and for leading the charter in the creation of Lycos as a commercial Web site and portal. Her immediate and ongoing projects include site development of Lycos TV (tv.lycos.com), a streaming media player; Multimedia Search and Content, a searchable directory of streaming media, photo and video search and download product; and the Lycos Entertainment Channel (www.lycos.com/entertainment). Prior to joining Lycos, Ms. Brown began her career in 1982 as one of the founding editors of PC magazine, the first consumer computer magazine to launch in America. With the sale of PC magazine to Ziff Davis, she moved on to spearhead the editorial and production teams for the founding of PC World magazine, a consumer-oriented computer magazine. After 10 years experience with magazine publishing, Cynthia served as Managing Editor of Osborne/McGraw-Hill’s book division where she was responsible for the innovation and publishing of Osborne’s five series consumer list, comprised of 65 titles annually on computers, software and technology. Ms. Brown is a graduate of Boston University School of Journalism. She is married with 2 children and living in Brookline, MA.
Jeff Morris, President & CEO, YACK.com: Recently named one of the top ten
"convergence pioneers" by Cable World Magazine (July 31, 2000), Jeff Morris is a seasoned entertainment industry executive with extensive experience in converging and interactive new media. As president and chief executive officer, Morris brings a wide variety of experience to Yack, Inc. and is responsible for the overall direction and vision for the company. Under his leadership, Yack successfully completed multiple rounds of funding. The original site was radically redesigned. A number of new products, including Vertical Program GuidesSM focusing on teens, animation, online film, major league baseball and online radio have also been launched. The site also debuted Fast Yack, a broadband version of the popular Yack guide. Morris also oversaw the formation of strategic alliances with both domestic and international partners, including British Telecommunications, ICTV and Time Warner’s Roadrunner service. Prior to joining Yack, Morris spent fifteen years at Viacom’s Showtime Networks, Inc., most recently as senior vice president of New Media and Technology Development where he was centrally focused on the rapidly changing media landscape. At Showtime, Morris was responsible for exploring new program marketing opportunities and interactive multimedia projects, as well as adapting the company’s product line to the evolving television landscape including subscription video-on-demand. In his position, he developed relationships with interactive TV and personal TV players such as TiVo, Wink and Worldgate. He also was responsible for crafting the company’s Internet strategy and the development of its websites (SHO.com, Mtyson.com and SETBoxing.com). Morris has long been regarded as a pioneer in the area of tracking consumer trends in technology adoption and specifically identifying opportunities in PC/TV convergence, and creating content for simultaneous device usage such as monthly Pick-A-Flicks and online scoring of Showtime and SET Boxing events. In 1999, Morris launched Showtime’s first original Web series, "WhirlGirl." Prior to his most recent position at Showtime, Morris held various other Business Development, Strategic Planning and Research positions. Before joining Showtime, Morris worked at HBO and held research positions at Ted Bates and BBD&O. Over the years, Morris has served as chairperson for CTAM Annual Research Conferences (1992-1993) as well as the Research Committee (1990-1996) and the Database Committee (1990-1994). He received the "Tami" award in 1993. He is a native of New York and a graduate of State University of New York at Binghamton with a degree in Cultural Anthropology.Scott H. Ehrlich is a senior consultant to Real Networks focused on the development of programming and programming strategy for Real Networks' subscription content service GoldPass. Prior to his work with Real Networks Mr. Ehrlich was Executive Vice-President, General Manager for Rival Networks (publisher of Rivals.com), where he oversaw all aspects of the business including advertising sales, e-commerce, content, business development, marketing, public relations and creative services. Prior to joining Rivals.com, he was the senior vice president and executive producer of News America Digital Publishing (NADP), a division of News America Publishing, Incorporated. In this capacity, Mr. Ehrlich oversaw all editorial, production, technology and product development for News Corporation's content-based digital publishing ventures, including FOX.com, FoxNews.com and FoxSports.com. Mr. Ehrlich has a decade of television management and consulting experience working with other major broadcasting outlets other than Fox, such as NBC Cable, Twentieth Television, Paramount and McGraw-Hill Broadcasting. Scott received his bachelor of arts degree from Kenyon College in Ohio and his masters degree from The Graduate School of Political Management in New York.