When we decided to present paidContent:2010: Discussing the Economics of Content on Feb. 19 in New York, we knew it was going to be topical and that we would be programming in real time. What we didn’t realize then—or when we picked TheTimesCenter as a location—is just how real time it would be. In fact, while our ad team was signing the New York Times (NYSE: NYT) as the lunch sponsor, we were being told on the editorial side its top execs wouldn’t be available. They didn’t want to commit to a conversation on paid content online while their own decision was hanging. But last week’s news that NYTimes.com will move to a metered system in early 2011 opened the gate. The result: the editorial program for lunch will feature an interview with Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., chairman of The New York Times Co. and publisher of its flagship paper; Janet Robinson, president and CEO, and Martin Nisenholtz, SVP, digital operations.
We’ve also added a Q&A with Devin Wenig, the CEO of Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI) Markets. He’s an alum of our first Future of Business Media conference, held when he was COO of Reuters just as Thomson and Reuters were merging. Today Wenig is responsible for the global financial services and media businesses.
We’re equally pleased to announce several other additions:
—James McQuivey, VP and principle analyst for Forrester Research, who will open the day with industry analysis about consumer attitudes towards paying for access.
—panelists John Kosner, SVP and GM, ESPN (NYSE: DIS) Digital Media, whose portfolio includes ESPN.com; ESPN360.com; and all content development for mobile, interactive television, interactive gaming and other emerging digital media; and Richard Greenfield, Co-Head Pali Research Media and Cable Systems Equities.
They join an already-strong roster with Hilary Schneider, EVP for Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) North America, who will take part in a Q&A; Steven Brill, Co-Founder, Journalism Online; Bruce Campbell, President, Digital Media and Corporate Development, Discovery Communications; (NSDQ: DISCA) Rio Caraeff, CEO, Vevo; Josh Cohen, Senior Business Product Manager, Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News; Shawn Colo, Co-Founder, Demand Media; Bart Decrem, Co-Founder and CEO, Tapulous; Kenneth ‘KC’ Estenson, SVP and GM, CNN.com; Rob Grimshaw, Managing Director, FT.com; Cella Irvine, President and CEO, The About Group; Patrick Keane, CEO, Associated Content; Marty Moe, SVP, AOL (NYSE: AOL) Money & Finance; Quincy Smith, partner, Code Advisors and former head of CBS Interactive; (NYSE: CBS) and John Squires, Interim Managing Director, Next Issue Media.
Tickets are selling fast so please register now. The $895 Early Bird ends Jan. 31; the price increases to $1,195 on Feb. 1. We can provide a discount for groups of three or more; contact [email protected] for more details.
Special thanks to our paidContent 2010 sponsors, Rubicon Project, Gigya, RR Donnelley, Oracle and The New York Times