Schedule of Events

Registration - 9:30am

Sessions - 10am-5pm:
Introduction: Allan Block, C'77, Managing Director, Block Communications

10-11:15am - The New Media: The Road Less Traveled
Introduction: Christopher Dixon, C'69, Managing Director, Global Media Strategist and Sector Coordinator, Media Equity Research, UBS Warburg
Moderator: Matthew Farber, W'84, Founder and President of Wilderness Media & Entertainment
Panelists: Dimitri Boylan, C'83, Co-founder & former CEO & President of Hotjobs.com; Warren Lieberfarb, W'65, President of Warner Home Video; David Pullman, C'83, Founder, Chair & CEO of The Pullman Group; Ted Werth, W'94, Co-founder & Chief Strategic Officer of the Digital Club Network

Film, Television, Radio, Music, Publishing: these are the primary modes of communication in what we know as the "traditional" media. New Media, led by way of the Internet, has transformed and expanded each of these modes - creating a variety of new areas previously unexplored by American business. Many entrepreneurs have tried to capitalize on the New Media's presence through untested business models, investment from venture capitalists, etc. Only a few have succeeded. The following Penn Alumni have managed to find and/or successfully develop a niche within the uncertain world of New Media. How exactly did they do it?

11:30am-12:45pm - Women In Journalism
Introduction: Judith Berkowitz, CW'64, Chair of Penn Women Paving the Way Regional Event Series
Moderator: Darby Mullany, C'88, Television Journalist, former CNBC reporter
Panelists: Lisa Cohen, C'82, Producer of 60 Minutes II; Jean Chatzky, C'86, Financial Editor for NBC Today Show and Editor-at-large for Money magazine; Eileen Naughton, C'79 WG'87, President of Time magazine; Stephanie Tuck, C'87, Contributing Editor of In-Style magazine

Women have always played a role in the traditional media. In many ways, women have led the expansion in a variety of roles, including those traditionally held by men. These Penn alumnae will discuss their current roles in the media, how each decided on a career in journalism and the challenges they face as women. We will ask each panelist about the role of technology and how it has changed their jobs vis-ŕ-vis time management, family vs. career, the pace of work, etc. Lastly, we will ask about current events, the current state of news vs. the demand for entertainment and the responsibility of the profession of journalism.

12:45-2:15pm - Lunch

2:15-3:30pm - Diversity In Television Programming
Introduction: Peter Bonventre, C'67, Editorial Director, Entertainment Weekly
Moderator: Omar Wasow, Executive Director of BlackPlanet.com at Community Connect Inc. and the Internet Analyst for WNBC
Panelists: Matt Blank, W'72, Chair & CEO of Showtime Networks; Gregory Branch, C'89, Co-Founder of Network Refugees, Inc.; Dara Cook, W'95, Video-content Producer for MTV's Total Request Live; Dr. Larry Gross, the Sol Worth Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication
America is a television-watching nation. This is a statement that few Americans can refute. It is also a fact that television has proved to be enormously successful in reaching and educating large groups of the population. However, many Americans are critical with regard to the issues that television has a more difficult time in addressing: sex, violence and the D-word: Diversity. The panelists have particular insight with regard to the diversity issue within television programming. Each will speak about his or her career path and/or experience with regard to television programming, what each perceives are the major obstacles relating to diversity and how diversity helps and also hurts television programming.

3:45-5pm - At the Intersection of Commerce, Culture and Creativity
(Due to an unexpected conflict, Peter Guber had to cancel his speaking engagement at the Summit.)
The media industry is unique in the way it integrates creativity and commerce and is judged by the demands of the marketplace. The intersection of these two forces and the resulting culture which is produced - "pop culture" will be the focus of our final panel discussion. How important is the art of the pitch in Hollywood or how does a movie idea get to the theaters? How does one generate TV content? What goes into the making of a successful book campaign? Has downloading really hurt the music business? How has cable forever altered the news? How has the "corporatization" of the entertainment business and the demand for quarterly results affected our unique cultural heritage? Can anyone really make any money from the media? We will ask several of our Penn alumni who have developed an expertise in their field and/or profession these questions and more.
Introduction: Dr. Norman I. Badler, Director, Digital Media Design, University of Pennsylvania
Moderator: Bill Boggs, C'62, ASC'64, Television Journalist & Host
Speakers: Christopher Dixon, C'69, Managing Director, Global Media Strategist and Sector Coordinator, Media Equity Research, UBS Warburg; Eliot Kaplan, C’78, Editorial Talent Director, Hearst Magazines; Todd Lieberman, C’95, President of Mandeville Films and Mandeville Television; Melody Guy, C'91, Acquisitions Editor, Random House

5:30-8pm - Media Summit Networking Reception Penn Club of NY