DAY 1 – Wednesday, October 7

12:30pm – 1:15pm
Registration
 

1:15pm – 1:30pm
Welcome, Introductions & Opening Remarks

1:30pm – 2:15pm
RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS: Top Digital Music Trends
Leading analysts and researchers kick-off the day’s discussions with an overview of the latest research about the current state of digital music, including consumer behavior & attitudes; adoption & penetration rates of digital products, key technology channels & platforms; and business & economic performance numbers. What is the outlook for the industry in the years to come?

2:20pm – 3:05pm
PANEL 1: THE STATE OF THE DIGITAL UNION
This panel of industry experts will discuss the hot button issues of day, including the debate over digital music pricing, social networks, online and mobile music product offerings and business models, new channels of digital revenue, subscriptions, MP3 stores, ad-supported models and next generation devices. What innovations and business models will fuel growth in the digital marketplace? What is the current state of the online and mobile music markets and where is the industry heading?

3:05pm – 3:45pm
NETWORKING BREAK
*DELEGATE ROUNDTABLES - Join a Discussion Group*
Delegate roundtables are led by attendees and speakers who volunteer to moderate discussions around specific topics. Sign up for the roundtable of your choice at the registration table. Discussion groups will fill up fast, so please make sure to sign-up when you arrive. Each group will meet at a designated roundtable (signs will mark the topic for each table) at 3:10pm. If you are registered for the event and would like to volunteer to moderate one of the discussions above and/or propose a topic to moderate, please email us at ellen@digitalmediawire.com.

3:45pm – 4:30pm
PANEL 2: DIGITAL MUSIC INNOVATION: What’s Next?
Music is at the core of some of the most innovative and popular digital products and services, which have attracted billions of dollars in investment. What are the defining characteristics of digital products and services that are attracting loyal fans and users? What does it take for a new technology or digital service to develop into a profitable business? What needs to happen to open the pocketbooks of investors and create more opportunity for innovation in the digital music space? What trends and technologies should we be watching? This panel will discuss what’s to come in digital music innovation.

4:40pm – 5:25pm
PANEL 3: MOBILE APPS: The Next Frontier for the Music Industry?
When Apple launched its app store last year, few people in the music industry would have predicted the flurry of innovation that has followed around the iPhone and iPod Touch. Fast forward to today and music apps for smart phones and social networks are the hot new way for artists to keep fans updated with new information, exclusive videos, chat rooms, and Twitter-style news feeds. This panel will discuss the opportunities around music apps with a focus on how artists and labels and using apps to promote and even distribute music. What can we expect with the launch of the RIM/Blackberry and Android app stores?  Will more artists follow the lead of the Presidents of the United States of America, who recently released a $3 app for iPhone and iPod Touch containing the full tracks of their four albums? What is the next frontier of mobile apps and the music industry?

5:30pm – 6:00pm
KEYNOTE

6:00pm – 7:00pm
COCKTAIL RECEPTION

DAY 2 – Thursday, October 8

9:00am - 9:45am
PANEL 1: THE FUTURE OF INTERNET RADIO
Listeners love the convenience, interactive features and less intrusive advertising of Internet radio services, but most services are still struggling to make a profit. What are the main business obstacles to creating a profitable Internet radio service? Are royalty rates still a big issue for these services? How can the popular Internet radio services of today make money and grow their businesses while avoiding the pitfalls of their now extinct predecessors? This panel will tackle these questions and more.

10:00am – 10:30am
KEYNOTE

10:30am – 11:00am
NETWORKING BREAK

11:00am – 11:15am
KEYNOTE

11:15am – 11:30am
KEYNOTE

11:40am – 12:30pm
PANEL 2: THE DIGITAL COPYRIGHT DEBATE
We've all heard the arguments before: From technology companies, who say that existing copyright laws are obsolete and need to be reformed to allow for innovation in the digital age, to rights’ holders, who say that strict enforcement of existing laws is necessary to curb piracy and protect their right to be fairly compensated for their hard work and investments. This panel will discuss the current status of the debate over digital copyrights. What are the latest legal and policy developments? What needs to happen so that artists can live off their creativity, labels and publishers can see a fair return on their investments, technology companies have an incentive to innovate and receive a fair share of the pie and music fans can satisfy their current hunger for and exploration of new and/or alternative music?  

12:30pm – 1:00pm
KEYNOTE

1:00pm – 2:00pm
LUNCH BREAK

2:00pm – 2:30pm
Presentations from Delegate Roundtables
One member of each roundtable group will present the 3 to 5 take-aways from the roundtable discussions on Day 1.

2:40pm – 3:25pm
PANEL 3A: Digital Music from an International Perspective
This panel will discuss developments in digital music from an international perspective. What trends are driving the music business beyond our borders? What are the challenges and opportunities for U.S.-based labels, publishers and artists to develop worldwide digital revenue? Which markets outside the U.S. present the greatest opportunities? Will ad-supported services like the recently announced Chinese venture involving the partially-Google-owned Top100.cn and all four major labels succeed in stemming piracy and monetizing online music in China?  Will this model be extended to other countries and perhaps eventually to the United States?

PANEL 3B: I Want My Music Videos Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Device!
Music videos, which served as one of the most important promotional and marketing tool during much of the past twenty-five years, are back, but the model is different as production costs have gone down and viral, social, online and mobile networks have replaced cable television as the platforms of choice. This panel will discuss opportunities and business models for the music industry utilizing online video platforms. What impact will a robust market for online video have on the future of the music industry? What types of deals are being done? What is happening with video in the mobile space? How are music videos fitting into the promotional plans in the digital age?

3:25pm – 3:55pm
NETWORKING BREAK

3:55pm – 4:40pm
PANEL 4A: Games & Music
The popularity of music-themed games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band has focused attention on the growing relationship between the game and music industries. This panel will explore this relationship further by looking at opportunities for composers and rights holders to sell and promote their music through games as well as the opportunity for new innovative game projects bring together pop culture, music and games. What’s next for the collaboration between the gaming and the music industries? What are the opportunities and challenges for making the most out of the creation of this new phenomenon?

3:55pm – 4:40pm
PANEL 4B: The Evolution Music Blogs
Music blogs and blog aggregators and networks are a key component of music promotion and discovery, serving as trusted filters and digital tastemakers like independent radio of the past. What are the current trends with music blogs? What is the relationship between blogs, artists, labels and fans? What new innovations are likely in the blogsphere? How will blogs evolve to remain relevant as more in the years to come?

4:45pm – 5:30pm
PANEL 5A: Social Media 2.0:
Will the Next Phase of Social Media Benefit the Music Industry?
This panel of leading experts will discuss the latest developments in social media with a focus on the relationship between social networks and the music industry. How can the music industry benefit from the traffic and buzz generated by social networks? Can this translate into online music sales? What's next in this exciting industry sector? Will social media 2.0 benefit the music industry?

4:45pm – 5:30pm
PANEL 5B: Rights, Royalties & Reporting in the Digital World
With so many digital products today, the business has become one of micro transactions and the process of licensing rights and collecting, administering and reporting royalties is far what is should be. This panel will discuss issues related to rights, royalties and reporting in the digital world.  What are the key problems that need to be addressed? What needs to happen to create a better system that provides accuracy, transparency, and accountability for all aspects of rights and royalty administration?