NAB Labs Presents Educational Events at 2012 NAB Show

A key role of the recently established NAB Labs is the presentation of educational events to create awareness of broadcast technology initiatives. Several of these events will be presented at the 2012 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nev., April 14-19, 2012.

Mobile Video and Mobile TV - Beyond YouTube
On Monday, April 16, NAB Labs presents a Super Session on Mobile Video and Mobile DTV. Moderated by veteran industry attorney Jim Burger of Dow Lohnes, the powerful panel of speakers includes Mark Aitken of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Salil Dalvi of Mobile Content Venture, Cedric Fernandes of MobiTV, Jack Perry of Syncbak, and Peter Siebert of the DVB Project Office. Peggy Johnson, Executive Vice President of Global Market Development at Qualcomm, will provide the keynote.

The panel will address global mobile technologies and prospective business models. Controversial perspectives will be discussed, focusing on where mobile video and mobile broadcasting may be headed in the very near future.

The session will take place 2:15 - 3:45 p.m., April 16, in Room S222 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. All attendees with a Smart Pass, Conference Flex Pass or any of the Post Production World Passes are welcome to attend.

The Connected Consumer
Also on Monday, April 16, another Super Session from NAB Labs will address the pivotally important subject of the day, The Connected Consumer. The session will address the seemingly endless opportunities that today's consumers have to connect with friends, their favorite games and video content, and even their vehicles. Panelists will consider current and future technologies driving our increasingly connected society, and explore how the "second screen" and its multitasking are defining the way content is produced and distributed. Other topics covered will include social media trends, time spent on connected devices, and how content may be effectively repurposed for multiple platforms.

The panel will include Gary Brotman, member of the Board of Directors, Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA); Mark Ely, CEO of Simple.tv; Jack Buser, Senior Director, Sony Playstation Digital Platforms; Dr. Boaz Mourad, CEO and Founder of Insight Research Group; Sean Casey, CEO and Founder of SocialGuide; Richard Bullwinkle, Chief Evangelist, Rovi Corporation; and Robert Acker, VP and GM of Harman International's Aha Radio team. Ryan Lawler of the popular tech blog GigaOM will moderate.

The session will be held on April 16, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m., in Room S222 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. All attendees with a Smart Pass, Conference Flex Pass or any of the Post Production World Passes are welcome to attend.

Future of Broadcast Television
On the morning of Tuesday, April 17, NAB Labs will host a continuation of the discussion that began in Shanghai, China last November, at the Future of Broadcast Television (FoBTV) Summit, attended by over 200 delegates from around the world. At the Summit, unified support was expressed for a joint declaration signed by 13 broadcast organizations around the world, calling for global cooperation in defining new DTV requirements, unifying standards, and the promoting of shared technologies to conserve resources and benefit both developed and developing nations (see www.fobtv.org for details.).

The renowned analyst Ben Keen of Screen Digest will provide a foundation for discussion with an insightful and revealing keynote presentation on terrestrial broadcast DTV around the world. Technology leaders from the U.S., Europe, China and Japan will then present their viewpoints on the critical role that broadcasting will play in the future broadband ecosystem.

Panelists will consider the next generation of television broadcasting from the perspective of consumer expectations, increased contention for spectrum, and the value of global cooperation.

Executive panelists will include Keiichi Kubota, Director General, NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories; ATSC President Mark Richer; Lieven Vermaele, Director of Technology and Development, European Broadcasting Union (EBU); and Wenjun Zhang, Chief Scientist of the Chinese National Engineering Research Center of DTV.

The session will take place at 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., April 17, in Room S222 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is open to all NAB Show attendees.

Additional details and registration information for the NAB Show is available online. For 2012, the NAB Show offers registration packages that give you access to more sessions across multiple conference tracks, year-round learning opportunities, and networking opportunities, all for a single registration fee. Check out the conference packages including a SMART Pass and Conference Flex Pass.