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ESPN HD to Keynote HDTV Forum 2004: DisplaySearch and Insight Media Bring Together TV Industry Leaders to Discuss the Transition to HD AUSTIN, Texas --(Business Wire)-- June 15, 2004 -- DisplaySearch -- the worldwide leader in flat panel display (FPD) market research and consulting -- and Insight Media -- the leading source for information on the microdisplay industry -- are proud to announce that Bryan Burns, vice president of strategic business planning and development heading up ESPN HD, the first 24-hour high definition sports channel in the U.S., will keynote the upcoming HDTV Forum 2004 in Los Angeles, California. Entitled Accelerating the HDTV Transition, this three-day conference will bring together leaders from all segments of the TV food chain on August 24-26 at the Westin Century Plaza. Mr. Burns, who earlier this year was named to the Academy of Digital Television Pioneers, will discuss ESPN HD's strong commitment to high definition programming and the issues and benefits of its pioneering efforts in HD."As stated at last year's event, sports is believed by many to be the 'killer app' for HD," stated Ross Young, DisplaySearch president and CEO. "It enhances the viewer's experience by enabling them to see more, see better and hear better. Watching sports on HD, one feels like they are actually in the stadium or arena, not thousands of miles away. As a result, we are pleased and excited that Mr. Burns will keynote, sharing with our audience their vision as the worldwide leader in sports, and we applaud their leadership in developing the world's first 24-hour HD sports channel." Mr. Burns's presentation will kick off the Expanding HDTV Programming session, which will be followed by a panel session featuring the following TV and film executives: -- Clint Stinchcomb, vice president, New Media, Discovery HD Theater -- Karl Meisenbach, director of Advertising & Sponsorship Sales, HDNet -- Darcy Antonellis, senior vice president, Warner Bros. -- Hal Protter, senior vice president, Distribution Development, The WB Television Network This session will address the issues each network/studio has dealt with in their transition and commitment to HD, including piracy and intellectual property issues, commercial advertising changes and the business case for moving into HD. Panelists will also discuss their companies' plans in HD programming, the current audience reception and how each company's role will impact the overall HD and television industry landscape. Challenges in HD Content Creation will follow the content programming session to address the unique challenges inherent in filming and production in HD. Panelists will discuss the changes occurring in the overall workflow of film production, how the advances in digital camera technology have affected cinematography, how the Hollywood entertainment industry views the rapid move to HD, and what the unique benefits are to moving towards HD and digital film production. "It is very important to hear from the content creation community to understand how hard they are pushing the HD transition and if there are any remaining roadblocks," stated conference co-organizer, Chris Chinnock, president of Insight Media. This panel session will be moderated by cinematographer and production engineer Derek Grover, who is the founder of Digital Hollywood Imaging, a company considered to be a driving force behind the transition of all major studios from film to high definition production for network programming. Mr. Grover will be joined by -- HD visionary Randall Dark, president of HD Vision Studios and a 16-year HDTV production pioneer and veteran -- Mr. Dark has been involved in over 800 HD projects including films, documentaries, commercials, music videos, corporate presentations, product launches, and live events and is considered an undisputed pioneer in the HDTV industry. -- Joe Kane, CEO and video director, Joe Kane Productions -- Mr. Kane specializes in the science of electronic imaging and accurately reproducing video signals on all types of displays. Through his work as chair of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Working Group on Professional and Studio Monitors, he helps bring organization and consistency to displaying pictures in the professional and broadcast world. He is currently finishing several versions of Digital Video Essentials, aimed at helping consumers with the transition to HDTV. Other companies confirmed to present at HDTV Forum 2004 include ATI Technologies, Brillian, DisplaySearch, InFocus, Insight Media, LG.Philips LCD, Pacific Growth Equities, Pixelworks, Roku, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, Silicon Image, VOOM and Zoran. Corporate sponsors of the event include LG.Philips LCD, Samsung Electronics, Zoran and Brillian Corporation. The event is also supported by CustomRetailer, Dealerscope, HighDef Magazine, Home Toys and Widescreen Review. An agenda can be found at the official conference website at: www.DisplaySearch.com/hdtvforum. Reserve Your Room by July 15 and Enter a Chance to Win 3 Nights in the "Western White House." Attendees who register for their event AND reserve their room at the Westin Century Plaza will be entered into a raffle to win three nights (Mon/Tues/Wed) in the St. Regis Presidential Suite, located right next door to the Century Plaza. The first guest in the "Western White House" was Ronald Reagan, and it has hosted each subsequent US President. Occupying the entire top floor of the 31-story tower, this 6,000 square-foot penthouse features 3 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 living rooms, a dining room and kitchen along with 24-hour butler service. The entire upgrade is valued at $20,000, but it will only cost the lucky winner the special conference rate of $169 per night. Hurry to register online for only $1,395 at www.DisplaySearch.com/hdtvforum and make your reservations directly with the Westin Century Plaza by calling 310-277-2000. Attendees Receive 20% off Spa Services. Through a special offer with the Westin Century Plaza, all attendees will receive 20% off all spa services during the program dates. Spa Mystique, named "Best Hotel Spa in LA" by Self magazine, is one of the city's largest and most luxurious spas. Call the hotel now at 310-277-2000 to make your reservations at Spa Mystique. Hurry as slots fill fast! To sign up as an attendee, exhibitor or sponsor, please visit www.DisplaySearch.com/hdtvforum or contact Kendra Smith at 512-459-3126 x107 or [email protected] for more information. About DisplaySearch DisplaySearch is the worldwide leader in market research and consulting for the flat panel display (FPD) industries. Founded in 1996, DisplaySearch serves a growing multinational client base, with an extensive array of market intelligence reports, advisory services, and global business conferences. The firm surveys the entire display industry food chain, including component and equipment manufacturers, display producers, OEMs, distributors and retailers. From this comprehensive vantage point, DisplaySearch prepares a valued suite of market forecasts, technology assessments, studies and analyses, and produces influential industry events worldwide. The firm serves more than 1000 clients in over 30 countries, and has a core team of 19 analysts located in Japan, Korea, North America and Taiwan. The company is on the web at www.displaysearch.com. About Insight Media Insight Media is a full-service market research company specializing in microdisplay-based products in the projection and near-to-eye segments. It track the full supply chain, finished products and distribution of these microdisplay-based products through its various newsletters, technology reports, forecasts, conferences and custom consulting activities. Headquartered in Norwalk, CT, Insight Media has a core of 8 analysts and associates to cover the microdisplay industry in a comprehensive manner. The company is on the web at www.insightmedia.info. |
