Program | Speakers | Videos

Moderator:
Dennis Kneale, Media and Technology Editor, CNBC

CNBC tech editor Dennis Kneale asked five professionals in the mobile phone industry to name the next cool feature they would like to see on the next generation of handsets. Their replies?

David Owens of Sprint said his favorite feature will be available in July: A phone that shoots video, then streams it to a computer. "I could be at my kids′ soccer game, shoot video, it streams it, and my parents who live 2,000 miles away can watch it on the PC. It′s really cool in that my parents can share and see the kids′ activities live as it′s happening."

Anthony Lewis of Verizon Wireless: Lewis would focus on health care and the ability of an app or device to provide a sick person with the kind of freedom they have when they are well. Whether it′s wearable, carried in your pocket or implanted, it would improve your quality of life, he said.

Irv Henderson of Yahoo Mobile and Local: "Imagine a future where you can use augmented reality." For instance, Henderson said, say you want to buy a car. You could notify five car dealers that you intend to buy in the next two hours and arrange a reverse auction that has them bidding for your business.

Sue Forbes of Motorola: Her fantasy feature would be something that helps the user strengthen their relationships. As the lines between work and home continue to blur, the device would improve your ability to connect with the people you care about, she said.

Anand Chandrasekher of Intel Corp.: Chandrasekher sees great possibilities for multiplayer online gaming.

"Call of Duty," anyone?

Moderator:
Ernest Wilson III, Dean, Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, University of Southern California; Chairman, Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Today technology firms need fresh strategies for specific segments of the global marketplace. Markets are maturing throughout the developed world; the ability to keep sales thriving in North America, Europe, Japan and South Korea hinges on pushing the boundaries of rich multimedia experiences, super-fast broadband and new ways to interact with computing and integrate it into daily life. Meanwhile, there are vast new markets to tap in the developing world, but these consumers demand products with low costs and heightened durability and reliability under more adverse conditions. The tech firms that maintain an edge are focusing on developing new products tailored to today's media-savvy consumer — from on-demand content and online software, richer multimedia and changing interfaces to computing functions that are integrated into cars and homes behind the scenes. At the same time, these companies must find ways to package more established products to appeal to customers in China, India, Latin America and the Middle East. Whether it's mobility, pervasive computing or graphics, what are the most exciting emerging technologies? How will they impact the future of computing? How are the key players adapting to the demands of various global markets?

Moderator:
Mike Zapolin, Author, "Internet Warrior"

In a world of instant information and nonstop media messages, it's more vital than ever for businesses to have a compelling and well-defined online presence. Tapping into social media networks is now indispensible: Facebook has grown to 400 million users (including 120 million out of a possible 180 million total Internet users in the U.S.). Friendcasting (friends uploading a link to content or a website on their Facebook page) is driving even more traffic across the Internet than Google. The way that businesses of all sizes penetrate the Internet, mobile and social media can spell the difference between success and failure. Analysts predict that companies will be spending an additional $50 billion to advertise in these mediums in the next few years. This panel reveals the ins and outs of attracting and building an online and mobile audience — and doing so in a way that sharpens your brand and makes it more competitive in the global marketplace.

Children are increasingly exposed to a complicated digital world — one that involves integrated marketing, sponsorship and peer-to-peer networks. Many governments and civic groups seek to regulate or limit the volume and type of digital marketing available to kids, hoping to protect them from everything from consumerism to exploitation. Companies are facing increasing pressure to devise clear policies on their marketing activities as they attempt to reach this almost $2 trillion market of young consumers. Using a partnership approach involving business, government and nonprofits, the risks and benefits of digital technology in children's lives could be balanced. This private meeting discussed how such a partnership could educate and empower Next Gen consumers to make more informed choices. What are the available tools for children, students and parents? What are the incentives for the business community to play a responsible and active role in achieving this goal? How can parents bridge the digital divide with their more Web-savvy children to keep them protected?

Speaker:
Frank Luntz, Founder and President, The Word Doctors

A leading pollster for multiple television networks and a language guru for more than a dozen Fortune 100 companies, Frank Luntz digs deep into his research and language vault to explore the hopes and fears of the American people. He offers insights that hold the key for helping political, business, legal and cultural communities communicate more effectively. In this session, Luntz unveils his brand-new "21 Words for the 21st Century" list and presents the top business and political ads for 2010 thus far.

Moderator:
Marcia Stepanek, Founder and Publisher, Cause Global; Author, Swarms

Ants aren't very smart. But when thousands merge together in a swarm, they can build amazing things. So what happens when you take thousands of intelligent human beings and link them together with social networks? You unleash the power of the digital swarm. We've all seen how information, jokes, media clips, slang and style cues can go viral in a matter of days, powered by highly connected communities on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Is there greater collective intelligence when digital users aggregate, or does the herd mentality produce unintended consequences? How do you attract and influence a swarm? Just how impressionable are audiences? Can you harness this phenomenon to catalyze offline behavior — whether it's donating to a cause, promoting social justice, flocking to an event or buying your product? How are social networks rewriting the rules of effective marketing and branding? What sort of responsibility do both corporations and nonprofits have in this new world, both to their own identities and to their audience?

Moderator:
Kevin Klowden, Managing Economist and Director, California Center, Milken Institute

Batman had the Joker. Leonidas had King Xerxes. And Spider-Man had the Green Goblin. Comic-book blockbusters are as much about the villains as the heroes, according to a panel of directors, producers and studio executives.

The villain introduces the conflict, said director Bryan Singer ("X-Men," "X-2" and "Superman Returns").

"The smarter the villain, the stronger the villain, the more ahead of everyone else the villain is, the more suspense you have," Singer said. The viewer knows rationally that the hero will survive, so the film has to create an "illusion of jeopardy," he said. "In a movie about heroes, where you know the hero is going to win, you need to be constantly thrown that maybe that's not going to happen."

Singer said what's important is how the villain affects the hero. Though these stories traditionally trade on a battle between good and evil, the best of them acknowledge that the characters are fighting the same battle internally, panelists said. As Matt Tolmach of Columbia Pictures (the Spider-Man franchise) put it, "You need an actor who can present the hero with a viable, albeit wrong choice."

Avi Arad of Arad Productions ("Spider-Man," "X-Men" and "Iron Man" movies) said Spider-Man could have been the biggest jewel thief in the world. Conversely, most villains could have been heroes, he said.

"They come from a different point of view. Sometimes it's philosophical, a chip on their shoulder, sometimes it's childhood," Arad said. "And that's what makes them more than a villain. It makes them damaged goods, and maybe they're going to turn around in the end."

Moderator:
Paddy Hirsch, Senior Editor, "Marketplace"

While the print media is struggling, online financial news outlets have reached a new level of maturity and depth. Today a host of well-respected analysts and pundits — many with advanced degrees in economics or extensive industry experience — provide detailed, sophisticated analysis of business news and economic trends. In fact, the leading online sites and blogs frequently scoop the mainstream media, reacting faster and going deeper on breaking news stories. Every day they host opinionated and dynamic discussions on regulation, policy moves, and the triumphs and failures of today's financial industry. How do online journalists stack up against their print and broadcast counterparts? Has online journalism gained the ability to influence the direction of the mainstream news providers? Where are they outdoing the traditional media, and where do they need to improve? What does it take to emerge as a thought leader in the rough-and-tumble world of the financial blogosphere?

Moderator:
Terence Smith, Journalist; former Correspondent, "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer"

Information wants to be free. On the other hand, journalists want to eat.

Reflecting on the future of news, executives from different types of media outlets compared their various financial models and generally agreed that there would be no single way of doing business going forward.

Much of the discussion focused on The New York Times′ plan for "freemium" access to its website: Readers could view a certain number of articles each month before they would have to pay for further access, Executive Editor Bill Keller said. If readers arrive at the website via a search engine or a link from another site, that view would be free.

Other panelists discussed how they fund their news gathering: Vivian Schiller of NPR said it is supported by listeners, sponsors and philanthropy, while Andy Lack of Bloomberg said that organization's well-known information terminals support its 2,300 staffers worldwide.

Arianna Huffington said there′s no single financial model that will apply to all news outlets, just as there will be no single model for news gathering.

The panel also scoffed at predictions that print is dead.

"We shouldn′t worry?" asked moderator Terence Smith.

"We shouldn′t panic," Keller replied.

Moderator:
Terry Semel, Chairman and CEO, Windsor Media

Hollywood is coming off a banner year in which it seemed to regain its box office mojo, thanks in no small part to the stupendous success of "Avatar." On the small screen, we've seen a comeback of the sitcom and the hour-long drama, which were once written off for dead at the height of the reality-TV craze. But despite this hot streak, this is still a challenging moment for the entertainment industry, and this panel delivers a sneak preview of what lies ahead for Hollywood. What's the future of 3-D, post-"Avatar?" Will business models change now that A-list stars have recently failed to deliver at the box office? What will happen to the DVD market? Can Los Angeles remain the world's capital of filmmaking? How will network TV respond now that cable has proven its ability to turn out top-quality dramatic series?