Oct. 2, 2007

Cambridge, MA -- The logics of convergence culture are quickly becoming ubiquitous within the media world. Audiences are being encouraged to participate in a wider range of sites. Transmedia principles are being adopted by content producers in a broad range of fields. 'Engagement' is being discussed as crucial to measurements of success.

Futures of Entertainment 2 brings together key industry players who are shaping these new directions in our culture with academics exploring their implications.

Co-hosted by the Convergence Culture Consortium and the Program in Comparative Media Studies at MIT, Futures of Entertainment 2 (FoE2) takes place Friday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Bartos Theater, in the Wiesner Building at MIT.

This year's conference will consider developments in advertising, cult media, audience measurement, cultural labor, fan relations, and mobile platform development.

The conference works around a talk-show style model with panelists participating in a moderated discussion. This is not simply another industry gathering. The goal is not a pitch or even a pre-prepared presentation -- just serious conversations about the future of entertainment.

Speakers featured at FoE2 include:

Mobile Media: Marc Davis, Yahoo!; Bob Schukai, Turner Broadcasting; Francesco Cara, Nokia

Metrics and Measurement: Bruce Leichtman, Leichtman Research Group; Stacey Lynn Schulman, HI: Human Insight; and Maury Giles, GSD&M Idea City

Fan Labor: Mark Deuze, Indiana University; Catherine Tosenberger, University of Florida; Jordan Greenhall, DivX; Elizabeth Osder, Buzznet; Raph Koster, Areae Inc.

Advertising and Convergence Culture: Mike Rubenstein, The Barbarian Group; Baba Shetty, Hill/Holliday; Tina Wells, Buzz Marketing Group; Faris Yakob, Naked Communications; Bill Fox, Fidelity Investments

Cult Media: Danny Bilson, transmedia creator; Jeff Gomez, Starlight Runner; Jesse Alexander, Heroes; and Gordon Tichell, Walden Media

Opening Remarks by Henry Jenkins, MIT; Joshua Green, MIT; Jonathan Gray, Fordham University; Lee Harrington, Miami University; and Jason Mittell, Middlebury College

With fewer than 200 seats open for the conference, FoE2 emphasizes discussion amongst panelists and interaction with the audience.

Drawing a mixed academic and industry crowd, the conference boasts broad coverage of the new media and entertainment space, and deep engagement across industry and disciplinary boundaries.

It provides a unique opportunity to partake in a focussed discussion on the issues affecting the contemporary media landscape.

Further information and registration details are available on the conference Web site here.

Details about last year's event, including video and audio from the panels, is available here.

The Convergence Culture Consortium (C3) is a research consortium at MIT exploring shifts in the media industries from an audience-centered perspective. Corporate partners with the Consortium are Fidelity Investments, GSD&M Idea City, MTV Networks, Turner Broadcasting, and Yahoo! Their Web site is available here.

The Comparative Media Studies Program at MIT (CMS) is a graduate and undergraduate interdisciplinary program centered in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. For more information on CMS, their Web site is available here.

The Wiesner Building is located at 20 Ames Street, Building E15, in Cambridge, Mass. For more information on the conference, contact Sam Ford, Project Manager for the Convergence Culture Consortium, at samford@mit.edu.