| Business Development: |
Creating Sustainable Franchises in Media |
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Guitar Hero. Wrestlemania. Spiderman. Gossip Girl. A prominent media franchise nearly guarantees it's owner and associated licensees a steady revenue stream, but how does a pitch become a sustainable franchise? Panelists from the gaming, television, comics, gaming, and publishing industries will discuss the strategies behind their franchises, importance in today's market, retaining market share, and the decision making process behind development and selection. |
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Panelists: Les Morgenstein, Alloy Entertainment; Ron Stern, Marvel Entertainment; Dan Rosensweig, Chegg.com |
| Investment Banking: |
Investment Banking in Media |
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Media Investment Banking in Uncertain Times. The panel explores how the volatile environment has changed the role of media investment banker. The changes in the overall investment banking environment will be discussed as well as the challenges facing those large media companies that have historically been the biggest users of investment banking services. Topics will include how the mix of needed banking services and the nature of the client base has changed as well as the increasing importance of specialization. |
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Panelists: Jason Cahilly, Goldman Sachs; Greg Miller, Greenhill and Co; Alex Glantz, Morgan Stanley |
| Entrepreneurship: |
Entrepreneurial State of Mind |
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Struggling to find a job in traditional media? Then start your own company! Founders of high-profile start-ups will discuss how to identify opportunities, launch ideas and build multi-platform brands. With backgrounds ranging from music to publishing, these entrepreneurs will examine how they thrived in a web economy and revitalized the industry. |
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Panelists: Derek Sivers, CD Baby; Gavin McInnes, Street Carnage, Vice; David Cho, The Awl, Maura Johnston |
| Independent Filmmaking: |
The Business of Making an Independent Film |
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How does an independent film come together? In the Business of Making an Independent Film we will bring together the behind the camera players that make a film happen. The include: foreign and domestic sales agents, producers, financiers, acquisitions execs and entertainment bankers. Each will talk about the role they each play in making a film a reality, the challenges they face along the way, and how they all fit into the independent film making ecosystem. |
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Panelists: John Sloss, Cinetic Media; Ben Browning, Wayfare; Annie Marter, Overture; Jack Foley, Focus Features; Anthony Bregman, Likely Story; Amy Beecroft, FilmNation; Celine Rattray, Mandalay |
| Live Entertainment: |
The Changing Landscape of Live Entertainment |
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Entertainment products are almost always considered a luxury good. The revenue stream for media and entertainment products is generally based on the amount of disposable income of consumers and even businesses. Given the current economy, have sports and entertainment-focused firms had to change their business model? Are consumer goodwill and the related endorsements still a focus in the industry? Are ticket prices lower, and has this had a significant impact? Or, can the live events be viewed as a promotional tool? Has the marketing related with these events been impacted? |
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Panelists: Marc Kolin, National Football League; Amy Brooks, National Basketball Association; Scott Jablonski, National Hockey League |
| Corporate Strategy: |
How Top Media Companies are Creating Synergies for Advertisers & Consumers |
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Major media organizations boast that they cover it all for audiences and advertisers: print, online, TV, radio, mobile and beyond. But how are these departments actually collaborating? Has any major media organization figured out how to collaborate across departments effectively and efficiently? Media organizations continue to acquire smaller new media organizations, creative shops and online networks to extend their reach and influence, but how are these acquisitions internally utilized? What are some best practices for MBAs and current industry employees to learn from? |
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Panelists: Patrick O'Connor, Viacom; Stephanie Ritter, Meredith Corp; Roberta Kapp, Time Inc; Brian Berger, Comcast Interactive Media |
| Marketing & Advertising: |
Strategically Marketing Entertainment |
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Intelligent use of marketing is a crucial aspect of entertainment product. In the entertainment industry, there are always game-changers and new trends. The marketing of all products, both in entertainment and general industry, has evolved into a comprehensive approach of designing and maintaining a brand, and changes in technology have led to a constantly evolving customer relationship. Additionally, the customer is evolving rapidly - devoting more time than ever to entertainment products. This panel will discuss the ways in which customers are changing, brands are developed, and technology changes are affecting the interaction with consumers. |
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Panelists: Erik Olesen, Island Def Jam; Bruce Mackenzie, MLS; Gretchen Shugart, Theater Mania; Aaron Earls, New Media Strategies; Julie Riven, Bravo; Don Buckley, THA.i |
| Venture Capital & Strategic Investments: |
Investments in New Media Companies - Are VCs, Strategics, or Private Equity Firms Leading the Charge? |
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What is the true effect of the investment communities portfolio companies and their influence on media? This blend of panelists will focus on how growth opportunities are affecting and influencing the business models and opportunities in the major media companies. Rather than focusing on how to fix companies, the panelists discuss where new opportunities are coming from and what they are doing to help. |
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Panelists: Mark MacKenzie, AllianceBernstein; Amish Jani, FirstMark Capital; Mo Koyfman, Spark Capital; Scott Wolfgang, Hearst Capital; David Horowitz, Comcast Interactive Capital |
| Video Games: |
Starting a New Dream Factory: Gaming and Entrepreneurship |
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What is needed to start a game development studio? What's more important, a hit game idea or tons of capital? What's the timeline to release a AAA title? What sort of competition can one expect as the newbie on the block? |
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Panelists: Frank DeLise, Dice; Bernard Yee, Columbia University & CafeMom; Nick Perret, 4MM Games; Frank Lantz, Area/Code & NYU Game Center; Jason Altman, Longtail Studios |
| Social Media: |
Where Is Social Media Headed? |
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Just over a year ago, old media bigwigs were laughing at the prospect of Twitter making any money, but the joke, apparently, is on them: 2009 closed with Twitter signing $25 million worth of deals with Microsoft and Google to make its content searchable, which will likely turn the company profitable. As social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr have matured, they have fundamentally changed the way we receive and interact with information, and the more established media players are being forced to taking note. Hear from social media startups, investors, marketers, and traditional media companies alike about where social media is headed and how it will continue to evolve. |
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Panelists: Fred Wilson, Union Square Ventures; Dennis Crowley, Foursquare; David Karp, Tumblr; Chris Grosso, iVillage Networks (NBC Universal); Aaron Earls, New Media Strategies |
| Monetizing Mobile Media: |
The Future in Digital Content |
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As Media and Entertainment companies look for new ways to reach consumers, mobile could represent a huge growth opportunity. Mobile creates a unique interactive platform for television networks to distribute content, for traditional newspaper companies to engage new consumers and for social media companies to target users. Much has been said about mobile as a vehicle for promotion, however mobile media also has the potential to provide companies with new revenue streams via content distribution and production. Yet, measuring success in new media remains a challenge and executives across the board are left wondering whether mobile will translate into measurable ROI. This panel will cover the various opportunities in mobile rich media, addressing potential barriers to mass market uptake and considering the definition, purpose and business models associated with mobile content. |
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Panelists: Devin Brook, Brand New School; Ethan Dreilinger, CBS Mobile; Steve Roberts, Shop Text; Tim Connolly, Disney/ESPN/ABC |
| Talent & Music Management: |
Artists Going Global |
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As we become more globalized and integrated, how have companies better prepared their talents and themselves? Have companies changed their focus/criteria as they search for new talent? Which are emerging markets and how do companies break artists into new frontiers? Have companies changed their business models and ways to find funding (i.e. sponsorships in different countries)? How have companies altered their marketing strategies to better fit these markets? How are companies collaborating with others to come up with less costly, more effective promotional ideas? |
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Panelists: Elliot Lum, Columbia Records; Matt Voss, Island Def Jam; Molly Conners, Rogue Gallery Media |
| Sports & Digital Media: |
Building an Online Presence in the Sports Industry |
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In the past decade, each major US-based sports league has experimented with digitizing its content and using the internet as a platform to expand its customer base both domestically and internationally. Additionally, non-traditional US sports (including English Premiere League soccer and others) have used the internet in an attempt to organically grow an audience in the US. In this session, representatives from each major league will discuss their approach to digital and their strategy for using the internet to reach new customers and allow long-time fans to keep in touch with their favorite teams. Also, executives from non-traditional sports will discuss their expansion strategies using the internet and other digital forms of content. |
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Panelists: Brian Kalinowski, World Wrestling Entertainment; Scott Hershkowitz, National Basketball Association |
| Journalism: |
The New Business Model for News: A Look at New Emerging Revenue Models in Journalism |
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As the business model for traditional journalism deteriorates, the quest for a sustainable revenue model is on. A slew of new (and old) media startups in the past few years seem to have the start of an answer. These companies are shaking up our traditional thinking on what is journalism and how to fund it. Are these models sustainable in the long run? Will they revolutionize the media industry or just be a passing fad? And as a society, do we need to be worried about what these new generation of journalists will do to our definition of ethical journalism? |
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Panelists: Nick Bilton, New York Times; Jay Rosen, PressThink; Richard Tofel, ProPublica; Steven Brill, Journalism Online; Ryan Davis, Philly.com |
| New Media: |
Are Subscriptions the Answer? |
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With the decline of online advertising revenues, media companies are exploring an alternative business model to monetize their digital content - subscriptions. Are subscriptions the answer? Are consumers willing to pay? Come and listen to executives from print (New York Times and Wall Street Journal) and TV (MTV and EPIX) speak about their experiences with online subscription models. |
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Panelists: Chris Guenther, Wall Street Journal Digital; Emil Rensing, EPIX; Paul Smurl, New York Times; Brian Swarth, MTV |