Monday, September 25 Sponsored by: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Track D: Broadband Internet Networks on the Net (Sponsored by iBeam Broadcasting) It is difficult to describe the impact and future trajectory of the networks now emerging on the Internet. Call them portals, programming services, or conglomerators of information, content and personal user programs, Internet networks are how the majority of users navigate their online experience. And these networks are in a competitive race, bringing new services to their community of users every day. As each Internet network expands its operation, taking on new partners, purchasing other companies, making the connection between content and commerce as well as moving into broadband, we are witness to nothing short of a media revolution. Bernard Gershon, Senior Vice President & General Manager, ABCNEWS.com Ross Levinsohn, VP and Executive Producer, AltaVista Network Chris Tucher, Vice President Business Develoment, LookSmart Benjamin Feinman, Vice President, Programming, NBC Internet Jeff Morris, President & CEO, YACK.com Bill Carey, Vice President, East Coast, Zatso, Inc. Dave Pearce, Director of Broadband, CNET, Moderator Bernard Gershon is Senior Vice President and General Manager of ABCNEWS.com, the fastest growing news site on the Internet. In this position, Mr. Gershon is responsible for overseeing all aspects of ABCNEWS.com, including editorial, content, design, production and marketing, and will supervise staffs and newsrooms in New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Previously, Mr. Gershon had been Vice President of ABC News Radio where he was responsible for all information programming produced for the ABC Radio Networks’ 140-million weekly listeners. Most recently, he directed ABC News Radio coverage of the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr., the impeachment of President Clinton, Operation Desert Fox, the 1998 Election and the John Glenn shuttle mission. In 1995, Mr. Gershon started ABCRadioNet.com, the first streaming media Internet site at ABC. Under his direction, the ABC News Radio staff received the RTNDA’s prestigious Edward R. Murrow award for Overall Excellence for the fourth consecutive year. Mr. Gershon joined ABC News in 1993 as General Manager of News Operations following his success as Associate Director, News and Programming for WCBS NewsRadio 88. Prior to joining CBS, he served as New Director of WOR Radio, New York. Mr. Gershon attended New York University and currently resides in New York City. Ross Levinsohn, VP and Executive Producer, AltaVista Network: In this role, he is responsible for the overall development and implementation of the AltaVista Network, which includes all search, directory and content areas within the site. Prior to joining AltaVista, Levinsohn served as Vice President, Programming and Executive Producer of CBS Sportsline, where he oversaw all content for the top rated sports site.Before CBS Sportsline, Levinsohn was Director of Production for HBO. In that role, he developed television programming, and licensing, merchandising and new media opportunities. Levinsohn holds a BA in Broadcast Communications from the American University in Washington, DC and sits on the South Florida board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Benjamin Feinman, Vice President, Programming, NBC Internet: Benjamin Feinman, Vice President, Programming at NBC Internet (NBCi), is responsible for furthering the company’s leadership position as the next-generation Internet portal service, directing its broadband strategies and product development efforts. He reports directly to Katharine English, Snap.com’s vice president, product development. Before joining NBCi, Mr. Feinman was a Senior Program Manager for Entertainment and Senior Evangelist at Netscape Communications Corp., where he spearheaded significant content, technology and business initiatives in the Internet, broadband and streaming media space. Mr. Feinman also has been involved in standards bodies, including W3C and the IETF, and is considered an expert on Internet and multimedia technologies. Mr. Feinman has participated in numerous conferences regarding Web innovation, including SGML/XML Europe98, where he was a keynote speaker and CNET's Builder where he participated in a keynote with Marc Andreesson. Mr. Feinman earned a BA in English Literature from San Francisco State University. Jeff Morris, President & CEO, YACK.com: Jeff Morris is a seasoned interactive entertainment industry executive with extensive experience in converging media. As president and chief executive officer, Morris brings a wide variety of experience to YACK.com and is responsible for the overall direction and vision for the company. 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 world of converging media. He was responsible for exploring new cable event marketing opportunities and interactive multimedia projects, as well as adapting the company’s current and future product line to the evolving television landscape including video-on-demand. In this position he developed relationships with interactive TV and personal TV partners 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 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, Jeff 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, Jeff worked at Home Box Office as manager of market research. Prior to that, he 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.