Jim Burger leads panels at 2014 ‘Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age’

Intellectual property partner Jim Burger served as a session chair at an annual conference that brings together innovators in the digital and entertainment fields.
 
The 2014 conference, "Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age," was held June 17-18 at Stanford University. The two-day conference is organized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers with the Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering.

On June 18, Jim moderated a panel, “Is the Big Stick TV Antenna Dead?” that discussed broadcasters’ continued reliance on outdated technology and studied wireless carriers that are trying new transmission technology to broadcast major events like the Super Bowl. The panel also discussed the rise of on-demand viewing, the continued decline of “appointment TV,” and how broadcasters are responding.

Panelists: Mark Aitken, Sinclair Broadcast Group; Michael Bergman, Consumer Electronics Association; Jeff Weber, 2Door Partners; Jerry Whitaker, Staff - Advanced Television Systems Committee.

The major takeaway: The future of over-the-air broadcasting and broadcasters, as we know them, are poised on the brink of dramatic change depending on technology and business model decisions.

Later that day, Jim served as a panelist on a high-profile session: “FCC Net Neutrality: A View from the Insider.” Ever since FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced earlier this year that he planned to introduce new Net Neutrality rules, the topic has dominated the news. In this “fireside chat,” Jim and Los Angeles Times columnist Jon Healey interviewed Matthew DelNero, deputy chief of the FCC Wireline Bureau, about the history of net neutrality, the public furor over possible rules changes, and what’s coming next.

The major takeaway: While everyone wants “net neutrality,” it is a contentious issue and there are deep divisions as to what precisely net neutrality is and how to achieve it.