Masters Forum Panels

The Changing Role of Research
Beyond the Numbers – Shaping the Future of TV

All too often, TV Research is perceived as all numbers, ratings and measurements. However, numbers do not always provide the full picture, especially when it comes to changes in the ways viewers access TV content and changes in the values that drive viewers' perceptions of themselves, and therefore the content they choose to watch. To solve for this, networks and MSOs will at key junctures commission ethnographic research – in effect, video documentaries relating viewer behaviors and preferences. These studies guide innovations in programming and in the platforms upon which content is offered.

Discussion points:
• Understand how viewer self-perceptions influence TV viewing choices
• Evaluate and identify opportunities for the application of ethnographic research
• Learn about common television research goals and objectives

Panelists:
Jenny Alonzo , nuvoTV
Maria Cheung , Time Warner Cable
Chanon Cook , Comedy Central

Moderator: Robert Miner , Miner & CO Studios

Behind the Screen: Opportunities in Television Programming

When you watch television, you're seeing only part of the picture. Behind the screen are dozens of critical tasks and functions that are essential in producing and distributing high-quality video content. Gain a rich understanding of what makes television work from the inside out as experienced professionals from prominent cable networks describe their areas of specialization – from the role of research to the art of scheduling – and much more.

Discussion points:
• Learn how various organizational units with TV network companies work toward common goals
• Hear about job functions and career paths – and how industry professionals found theirs
• Get an insider's view of working in network television: what's fun, what's challenging, what's ahead

Panelists:
Val Boreland , Comedy Central
Richard DeCroce , BBC Worldwide America
Kathleen Finch , HGTV
Christina Wayne, Cineflix Studios

Moderator: Evan Shapiro , Participant TV

Why Hits Happen: Marketing in the Age of Television Plenty

With hundreds of channels, thousands of on-demand choices and more television than anyone can possibly watch, how do certain shows and networks break through to create and sustain large and loyal audiences? Find out as cable television marketing experts share observations and strategies for achieving awareness and driving viewer tune-in behavior. You'll come away with a keen appreciation for the role of marketing in the modern television environment – and the career possibilities tied to it.

Discussion points:
• Understand how social media integration is changing the game for television marketing
• Learn how industry pros identify and communicate with niche audiences and viewing communities
• Understand the impact of viral marketing and digital word-of-mouth
• Find out how network-affiliate partnerships build awareness and viewership

Panelists:
Alex Alonso , mun2
Vicky Free , BET
Walter Levitt , Comedy Central
Alessandra Otero-Reiss , Time Warner Cable
Michael Smith , Cooking Channel

Moderator: Tim Nolan , Lifetime Networks

The Connected Viewer: Trends and Tremors in Television Technology

Smartphones have overtaken the mobile telecom sector. One in every three homes has an iPad or a tablet. Video game enthusiasts are watching TV over Xbox 360s and PS3s. And "smart TVs" are all the rage at the electronics store. In a world where technologies for watching television are proliferating, the cable industry is transforming the way its delivery systems connect with a new generation of screens. Discover how the networked-video revolution is driving new alliances and creating new opportunities for a brave new world of television consumption.

Discussion points:
• Learn about IP video's impact on cable industry talent and staffing needs
• Evaluate the future of television in an application-centric media environment
• Who wins? Who loses? Hear experts handicap the odds for television distribution platforms
• Understand the "frenemy" phenomenon, and why relationships aren't always what they seem

Panelists:
Nomi Bergman , Bright House Networks
Marwan Fawaz , Motorola Mobility
Chuck Pagano , ESPN
Bob Zitter , HBO

Moderator: Leslie Ellis , Ellis Edits

Parade of Professionals: Television Jobs You've (Probably) Never Heard Of

From digital media operations to national advertising sales, today's television business depends on a wide-ranging constellation of jobs and functions that are critical to success – even if they're unfamiliar to outsiders. Get ahead of the game by getting a read on opportunities within today's multichannel video environment and the skill sets employers are looking for to fill them. You'll walk away feeling like an insider. And speaking the language of television like a pro.

Discussion points:
• Understanding the television delivery ecosystem, from producer to screen
• Get details on job functions and career prospects from professionals who know
• Hear fresh insights about emerging skill requirements for up-and-coming jobs

Panelists :
Doug Holloway , ION Media Networks - Affiliate Distribution
Susan Malfa , Bravo Media, Oxygen Media, Style, Sprout and Women at NBCU - Ad Sales
Craig Parks , IFC - The Digital Space
John Taite , BBC Worldwide America - International
Italia Commisso Weinand, Mediacom Communications - Operations

Moderator: Steve Scully , C-SPAN

From Pitch to Hit: 'Portlandia' and the Modern Television Ecosystem

It's odd, it's adored, and it's like nothing you've ever seen (unless Aimee Mann mops your kitchen floors, too). IFC's original and fearless comedy series "Portlandia" captures a slice of hipster Americana with a sensibility that rarely fails to ring, however indelicately, true. How this fresh, irreverent short-sketch series made its way from idea to TV screen is a story in itself – one that offers telling lessons about the creative and economic forces at work in today's television environment. Listen in as key decision-makers and champions talk about the amazing journey of an amazing television show.

Discussion points:
• Hear about how pitch sessions work – and why
• Learn what makes ideas for new programs stand out in a crowded TV environment
• Gain insight into the key metrics and indicators for evaluating a program's success
• Understand business relationships among creators, production companies, networks and distributors

Panelists :
Blake Callaway , IFC
Debbie DeMontreaux, IFC
Marie Moore , IFC
Craig Parks , IFC
Britta von Schoeler , Broadway Video Enterprises

Moderator: Stewart Schley, Stewart Schley Editorial Services

Career Resource Sessions

Career Tables
Here's your chance to make introductions that can make your career. Human resources and hiring managers from prominent cable industry companies are on the scene to share information about career development and job opportunities. It's a highly efficient setting for making contacts and sparking ideas.
Interview skills session
Dozens of television industry executives, a time clock, and you. Those are the key ingredients in this exclusive forum that invites you to take part a series of 10-minute mock interviews with real-world professionals who provide on-the-spot feedback that will help you polish your pitch. A valuable opportunity to meet, greet and impress.