Wednesday, September 27 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM Session B: The Music Industry Quandary: Evolving Technology vs. Content Protection What a year this has been! The music industry, more than any other entertainment sector has come under assault by the Internet technologies. There is no question that this has been a crisis year - it’s a quandary. How do record companies create a viable business model in the new digital environment? What is the relationship of the superstar artist to the record company? What about the marginal artist, the performer with forty thousand dedicated fans? How does the industry structure itself so that it includes all segments of the industry and doesn’t allow it to scatter and dissipate into twenty different separate entities? What about the technology? The Internet and the music industries were clearly made for each other, but what does that mean, and how do they set up house and live together in peace? On this panel we have representatives of the traditional music industry, the Internet music industry, and hybrids of both, and we look to them for guidance and insight. Adam Somers, Music.com Lisa Crane, Managing Partner, Media Venture Advisors Chris Montgomery, Vice President, MP3.com J. D. Heilprin, Executive Vice President, RioPort.com Stuart Shapiro, President, Artistent/Patronet Albert Chen, CEO/Founder, Gig.com Ted Cohen, Vice President New Media, EMI Recorded Music, Moderator Additional speakers to be announced Albert Chen, CEO/Founder, Gig.com: In April 1999, Albert Chen founded Gig.com, the first company to provide a robust, scalable Internet infrastructure and content management system that enables "Jukebox in the Sky" services for Music Service Providers, allowing them to deliver highly customized digital music content and services to consumers. Chen is responsible for the company's overall strategy. Chen has over five years experience within the Internet infrastructure and digital media delivery arena. In 1995, Chen founded and was Vice President of Business Development of GlobalCast Communications, a leading provider of Internet infrastructure systems built on top of the company's multicasting technology. At GlobalCast, Chen oversaw business development and marketing efforts. Chen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley. Stuart Shapiro is the President of ArtistEnt.com and it's subsidiaries. Mr. Shapiro was the founder of FirstLook.com and Woodstock.com. He was also the producer of the Woodstock '99 webcast, the largest and most comprehensive music webcast in the history of the Internet. Additionally, Mr. Shapiro produced USA Networks' award winning music video show, "Night Flight," followed by "Radio 1990." Lisa Crane, Managing Partner, Media Venture Advisors: Lisa Crane is Managing Partner of Media Venture Advisors, an e-consulting firm. Formerly, she 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 joined Soundbreak in September 1999, bringing with her a distinguished resume of Internet experience that is unrivaled in today’s burgeoning industry. At the helm of Soundbreak.com, Crane built the company into a highly trafficked, renowned market leader with a staff of 90 professionals and a valuation of nearly $100MM. Prior to joining Soundbreak, 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 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 and services for NBC’s Entertainment division and helped steer the overall strategy for convergence of traditional and new media. 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. 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, (virtualis.com), eStar (estar.com), On2.com (On2.com) and Pulse Entertainment (pulsenetwork.com). She also sits on the working committee of 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. Crane holds an MBA from Pepperdine University and a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, and has three children. Ted Cohen was most recently executive VP of Digital Music Network Inc., where he co-founded and served as Chairman of the Webnoize conferences. Additionally, Cohen ran two highly successful new media consulting operations, DMN Consulting and Consulting Adults, attracting clients such as Amazon.com, Microsoft, Universal Studios New Media, DreamWorks Records, Liquid Audio, Wherehouse Records/Checkout.com, Hollywood Stock Exchange and many other entertainment, computer and new media organizations. Cohen is a 25-year veteran of the music industry and has served in senior management positions for both Warner Bros. Records and Philips Media. He is considered a leader in the new media/music field and one of the most well-connected players operating in the space.