The Consumer Electronics Show is a monster event that should attract more than 140,000 attendees this year. The show spreads out across the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Venetian Hotel and other locales in Las Vegas. Here’s a tipsheet on sessions and speakers that could be worth a stop.
Keynote Speakers
Robert Iger, president and CEO, The Walt Disney Co.
Monday, Jan. 8, 4:30 p.m.
The Venetian, Palazzo Ballroom
Leslie Moonves, president and CEO, CBS Corp.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 4:30 p.m.
The Venetian, Palazzo Ballroom
Mr. Moonves and Mr. Iger should merit an audience as both industry leaders speak at CES for the first time. Their presence in the keynote lineup signifies how CES is evolving into a content show as well as a technology and device event.
Industry
Insider Series
Pipelines Power Panel
Monday, Jan. 8, 2:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Hilton Theater
Moderator: Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association
Panelists: Chase Carey, president and CEO, DirecTV; Charles W. Ergen, chairman and CEO, EchoStar Communications Corp.; Virginia Ruesterholz, president, Verizon Telecom; Glenn A. Britt, president and CEO, Time Warner Cable; David J. Barrett, president and CEO, Hearst-Argyle Television; Patrick J. Esser, president, Cox Communications
Cable, satellite and telecom executives will discuss new ways of delivering content and business opportunities on the horizon.
John Chambers, president
and CEO of Cisco Systems
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 11a.m.
Las Vegas Hilton Theater
The TV world has had its eye on Cisco since it purchased cable industry supplier Scientific-Atlanta in November 2005.
Kevin Martin, FCC chairman
Wednesday, Jan. 10, noon
LVCC North Hall, Room N257
Mr. Martin is slated to discuss the transition to digital television and other topics.
Super Sessions
Content and CE Partnerships: Breaking New Ground
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
LVCC North Hall, Room N257
Moderator: Dawn Chmielewski, staff writer/technology, Los Angeles Times
Panelists: Josh Goldman, CEO, Akimbo Systems; Tony Kern, deputy managing partner, TMT Group, Deloitte and Touche, LLP; Larry Shapiro, executive president, Business Development and Operations, Walt Disney Internet Group; Mike Wehrs, VP and chief technical evangelist, AOL Mobile; Jim Wuthrich, senior VP, electronic sell through and interactive marketing for digital distribution, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Executives will discuss what has worked and what hasn’t in the agreements between content providers and device manufacturers in the year since the seminal deal between Apple and Disney allowed iPod users to download and view TV programs.
Get Ready for the End
of Analog TV
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2-3 p.m.
LVCC North Hall, Room N257
Moderator: Gary Arlen, president, Arlen Communications
Panelists: David Donovan, president, MSTV
Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO, NCTA; John Taylor, VP, public affairs and communications, LG Electronics USA
The panel has potential because of Mr. McSlarrow and the discussion on the 2009 end-date for analog TV broadcasting.
Digital Hollywood
Track Sessions
Television 2.0: As Cable, Telco, OnDemand and Broadband Redefine the Future of Entertainment and Communications
Monday, Jan. 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
LVCC North Hall, Room N256
Moderator: Shahid Khan, managing director, BearingPoint
Panelists: Ty Ahmad-Taylor, senior director, interactive products, Comcast Cable; David Britts, general partner, Com Ventures; Albert Cheng, executive VP, digital media, Disney-ABC Television Group; Ron Lamprecht, VP, new media, NBC Universal; Rishi Malhotra, director, HBO On Demand; Ryan O’Hara, president, TVG Network, Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc.
Mr. Cheng is always worth listening to.
Hollywood and the Digital Consumer: How Technology, Content and Services Establish the Next Level of Consumer Entertainment Experience
Monday, Jan. 8, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
LVCC North Hall, Room N259
Moderator: Ira Rubenstein, executive VP, Sony Pictures Digital
Panelists: Shari Barnett, director of media services, Microsoft TV Division, Microsoft Corp.; Sean Carey, EVP of digital distribution and licensing, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; Walter Delph, director, content and programming, Verizon FiOS TV; Kevin Donahue, VP of content, YouTube; John Penney, senior VP, new media business planning, HBO; Bill Stratton, VP, business development, Turner Network Sales; Dan York, senior VP, programming, AT&T Entertainment
Hollywood is making nice with previous foes, such as YouTube, represented here by Mr. Donahue.
Ubiquitous Video to the
Consumer: The Technology Enablers-Broadband, IPTV, Mobile and TV
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
LVCC North Hall, Room 256.
Moderator: Derek Kuhn, senior director of marketing and business development, strategic solutions, Alcatel
Panelists: Mike Afergan, chief technology officer, Akamai; Mike Gordon, chief strategy officer, Limelight; Jan Hofmeyer, EVP, business development, Entriq; Dan Monahan, manager, UMPC Infotainment Programs, Intel; Frank Nein, senior VP of strategic & business development, OrionsWave, LLC; Jeff Weber, VP, product & strategy, AT&T
This panel could be a dark horse for interesting discussions about how technology creates new means to deliver content. Try to attend if you have time. It will be a who’s who of technology enablers.
VC and Investment in the Entertainment and Technology Space: Games, Wireless and Broadband
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1:30-2:30 p.m., LVCC North Hall, Room N256
Moderator: Joey Tamer, president, S.O.S. Inc.
Panelists: Mike Buckley, director, strategic investments, Intel Capital, Intel Corp.; Tim Chang, principal, Gabriel Venture Partners; David O. Higley, managing director and head of digital media technologies, UBS Investment Bank; Peter Levin, president, Bellrock Media; Mark Stevens, partner, Fenwick & West; Sun Jen Yung, managing director, investment banking, Oppenheimer & Co.
Venture capital money is pouring into the online video business. Hear what the backers have to say.
Next Generation P2P Music and Film: DRM, Paid for Pass-Along Legal Distributed Computing Models and the Entertainment Industries
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 3-4 p.m.
LVCC North Hall, Room N259
Moderator: Marty Lafferty, CEO, Distributed Computing Industry Association
Panelists: Gilles BianRosa, CEO, Azureus; Peter H. Kan, partner, Sidley Austin LLP; Jonathan Lee, VP, business development, Media Defender; Les Ottolenghi, founder and CEO, INTENT MediaWorks; Jamie Perlman, business development, SNOCAP; Robert Summer, executive chairman, iMesh; Michael Weiss, president & CEO, StreamCast Networks
Peer-to-peer technology is making a case to go legit as the new, and very efficient, online video venue for TV content. Look for a discussion of the practical applications and legal issues. -DAISY WHITNEY