Workshop
1:45 PM - 3:30 PM
Session B:
Selling Entertainment and Consumer Electronics on the Net
It is only natural that the web retailers of music, videos, books and other packaged goods would find a natural extension in their online offerings leading to the world of entertainment devices. Who is the prime purchaser of compact disc players, MP3 players and computer audio blasters? Music fans who buy CDs are. What might not make sense in a brick and mortar establishment, might be just the right fit online. Where should you buy a TV set? Online? How about at the same website where you buy videos. The online world is only first beginning to extend itself into related horizontal markets and in this session we will explore how the experts believe the expansion will take place.
Hassan Miah, CEO, Slo Media
David Friedensohn, CEO and Chairman, BigStar Entertainment
Ron Goldberg, founder & Vice President of Content Development, E-town
John Carroll, Vice President, Marketing, ROXY Home Entertainment Group
Christopher C. Melton, Sr., CEO, Amplified.com
Michael Fagien, CEO, Milor Publishing
Andrew Keen, CEO, AudioCafe, Moderator
Andrew Keen, Founder and CEO, AudioCafe: Andrew Keen is a leading visionary in the audio business with almost ten years of experience as an entrepreneur, salesman and writer in
the industry. Having single-handedly founded Audiocafe in 1997, Keen has driven the development of the site's content and business development. His model of integrating commerce, community and content is now acknowledged as the most viable business model for building a successful Internet business model. From its origins in 1997, Keen has built an Internet site well branded and respected throughout the audio, music and Internet industries. As the Founder of the company, Keen has personally recruited the entire management team at Audiocafe -- including Eric Hall (President), the founding COO/CFO at Yahoo! and an executive at a number of other successful Internet start-ups, and James S. Thompson (COO), an experienced senior executive and veteran entrepreneur with five start-ups under his belt. Keen has also personally recruited leading business figures as advisory board members at Audiocafe, including JJ Rosen, President of N2K, Jerry Kearby, CEO of Liquid Audio, & Hassan Miah, CEO and President at Xing Technology. As an leading voice in the industry, Keen has spoken at numerous Internet and audio events. He is an Executive Producer of the Future of Music Conference where he will host a number of panels, including those on Internet publishing. This year, he has also spoken at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, the University Club of San Francisco, the New York Internet and Audio Expo & The Recording Institute of California. At the 1999 Hi Fi Show in Chicago, he organized and chaired a panel on MP3. At CES 2000, he will be chairing one panel on Internet e-commerce and another on future audio formats. Over the last six years, Keen has written extensively for a number of international audio and music magazines including Listener Magazine, Fi -- The Magazine of Music and Sound, Audio Video Interiors, Hi Fi World and Leak. His unique writing style has made him one of the most authoritative voices in contemporary publishing. At Audiocafe.com, Keen has conducted a series of in-depth interviews with leading figures in the music and audio businesses -- including Jordan Rost, EVP of New Technology at Warner, Dennis Mudd, CEO of Music Match and Michael Goldberg, Founder of Addicted to Noise. At Audiocafe, Keen has been responsible for building a series of strategic relationships with partner sites in the audio, music and home entertainment industries. He has personally developed promotional partnerships with Tower Records, Bose, Sony, Kenwood, Diamond Multimedia, Creative Labs, Monster Cable & Polk. At Audiocafe, Keen has sold advertising to over twenty five audio and music companies, including Paradigm, Audio Products International, Arcam, Crutchfields & NXT. At Fi Magazine, where he was Director of Business Development, Keen was responsible for selling advertising and promotional packages to a number of high profile companies, including Sony & N2K.Christopher C. Melton, Sr., CEO, Amplified.com: Christopher Melton brings a comprehensive range of senior management experience in the technology and business services industry, particularly in e-commerce. Most recently, Mr. Melton was employed by IBMs Global Services Unit as the Senior Executive responsible for IBMs e-business services within the Financial Services Industry. Prior to this assignment, he was Director, Global Operations for IBMs business process outsourcing business. In addition, during his 19 years at IBM, he has served in numerous executive positions in sales, marketing, finance and operations, including a 4-year assignment in Asia.
John Carroll, Vice President, Marketing, ROXY Home Entertainment Group: As Vice President of Marketing for the ROXY Home Entertainment Group, John Carroll is responsible for DIRECTV and consumer electronics sales and product strategy, marketing analysis and Internet merchandising. He brings extensive strategic marketing, research and program development experience to ROXY.com, most recently as Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Citigroup/Travelers Property & Casualty, Inc., where he managed commercial insurance lines, developed cross-marketing programs between Travelers and Citibank products, and developed new direct marketing channels including the Internet. Previously, he served as Vice President/Senior Product Manager for AT&T Capital Leasing Services, developing a strategic product marketing plan for AT&T equipment lease products; Project Marketing Director at DRI/McGraw-Hill, Inc., where he oversaw marketing of economic consulting services, database products and publications; and Senior Product Marketing Manager at BayBank, Inc. John holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University, Boston, MA., and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Tufts University, Medford, MA.