NYC Television & Video Week today released the list of keynote speakers, panelists and participating companies at the inaugural Virtual Reality 20/20. Technology, content, finance and marketing executives from dozens of top companies will appear onstage Monday, Oct. 17, at NYC’s TimesCenter (detailed list follows below).

To purchase tickets for Virtual Reality 20/20, visit https://nbmedia.swoogo.com/TVandVideoweek. 

Virtual Reality 20/20 attendees can expect a deep dive into VR/AR content and technology as these new media affect a broad sweep of industries, from sports and entertainment, to advertising and gaming, to science and education. 

The storytelling keynote session will feature Jane Rosenthal, executive chair of Tribeca Enterprises, in conversation with the co-founders of Baobab Studios, Maureen Fan and Eric Darnell.

In addition to the keynote speakers, the topics will feature perspectives from Comcast Ventures; Time Warner Investments; Intel Capital; Alcatel; VOKE; HTC; Pepsi Beverages North America; Hulu; CNN; Disney | ABC Television Group; ESPN; Fox Sports; IMAX; National Basketball Association; Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, Inc.; The New York Times Company; Red Bull Media House; Taco Bell; NVIDIA; First Round Capital; GoPro; MaxPlay; Avegant; Time Inc.; Condé Nast Entertainment; Felix & Paul Studios; STRIVR; NextVR; Selhurst Media Ventures; Refinery29; Deep Focus; Luma Partners; Smithsonian Media; Specular Theory; Sketchfab and Surgical Theater, among others. 

“2016 represents a tipping point for virtual and augmented reality,” says Greg Kahn of GK Digital Media, who is executive producing the event. “VR/AR is poised to have significant business, creative and educational implications. New York City is the ideal place to gather so many thought-leaders and practitioners who will accelerate the adoption of VR/AR technologies.” 

Virtual Reality 20/20 will draw industry executives, investors, retailers, educators, and business leaders alike. The event format will range from networking sessions with creators and investors to panel presentations where the latest trends will be discussed and debated. Attendees will also be able to test out cutting-edge hardware and content through hands-on demonstrations.

To see the full list of speakers and events, visit http://www.vr2020summit.com/speakers/.

This year’s Virtual Reality 20/20 features several major sponsors: platinum sponsor Alcatel; gold sponsor HTC; silver sponsor VOKE; bronze sponsors Verizon Labs and New Age Electronics; exhibitor InstaVR.

The Virtual Reality 20/20 advisory board includes Michael Yang, Managing Director at Comcast Ventures; Scott Levine, Managing Director at Time Warner Investments; Arjun Metre, Investment Director at Intel Capital; Cary Tilds, Chief Innovation Officer, GroupM; Neil Carty, SVP Innovation Strategy at MediaLink; Ian Schafer, Founder & CEO of Deep Focus; Evan Kraut, Managing Director at Grey AdVentures; and Hardie Tankersley, CEO of Reality Fabrication Inc. 

Visit http://www.nyctvweek.com for a complete schedule of the 4th Annual NYC Television and Video Week, which includes the 26th Annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame, Advanced Advertising, Next TV Summit, Hispanic Television Summit as well as Virtual Reality 20/20.

For information on 2016 NYC Television & Video Week partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, contact Charlie Weiss at 212-378-0478 or cweiss@nbmedia.com. Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and Next TV are published by NewBay Media. 

About NEWBAY MEDIA
NewBay Media is positioned at the center of the world’s most dynamic industries — Music, AV/Pro Audio, Consumer Electronics/Gaming, Video & Broadcast and Education. We connect and inform millions of constituents in these industries through our award-winning content, integrated media capabilities and high-profile network-building and informative events. NewBay proudly serves some of the broadest B-to-B professional and music enthusiast communities in the world through over 35 print and digital publications, more than 35 integrated web and mobile applications, more than 60 e-newsletters, over 50 conferences and conventions, custom marketing services and e-commerce capabilities. Find out more at www.newbaymedia.com

NYC Television & Video Week will take place at the TimesCenter, Waldorf Astoria and Grand Hyatt on Oct. 17-20. The fourth annual event adds “Video” to its name to reflect the addition of a television industry-related video component that will include sessions on virtual reality and other of-the-moment topics.

Featuring the 26th annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and the new VR 20/20 virtual reality summit, as well as best-of-industry conferences such as Advanced Advertising, Next TV Summit and the Hispanic Television Summit, NYC Television & Video Week offers education, information, and unparalleled networking for leaders in broadcast, cable, OTT, advertising, and technology companies serving the industry. NYC Television & Video Week is presented by Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and Next TV.

"This show continues to evolve to become a can’t-miss destination for over 2,400 leaders throughout all facets of the television industry,” Louis Hillelson, VP and group publisher, NewBay Media, said. “The addition of the Virtual Reality 20/20 conference to our stable of proven solutions-oriented summits will help lead the discussion on ways that this high-profile new technology can have a meaningful impact in the television business."

Here is the preliminary lineup for the 2016 NYC Television & Video Week:

Virtual Reality 20/20

Monday, Oct. 17, The TimesCenter

Virtual reality is almost ready for primetime with a suite of consumer products ready to hit the shelves. This conference will investigate the meaning of this potential game-changing technology for the television industry and will examine its impact on programming, distribution and marketing.

26th Annual Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame

Tuesday, Oct. 18, Waldorf Astoria

The Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame is the leading industry event honoring the pioneers, innovators and stars of the electronic arts. This black-tie affair brings out the best in the industry for a night of celebration and honoring the new inductees.

Advanced Advertising

Wednesday, Oct. 19, Grand Hyatt

Advanced Advertising returns to NYC Television & Video Week with an in-depth look at the latest digital advertising technologies and how to use them to succeed. Covered topics include programmatic TV, metrics, and addressability.

Next TV Summit

Wednesday, Oct. 19, Grand Hyatt

The popular Next TV Summit returns to NYC Television & Video week with a focus on online video, production, content, technology, and OTT. This will be the only East Coast Next TV Summit held this year. NEW FOR 2016: The Next TV Innovator of the Year Award will be presented at the Next TV Summit. The award will honor one individual for their stand out launch, initiative or innovative new approach to the television and video landscape in the last year. The honoree will be invited to participate in a session at the conference, providing their unique insight.

Hispanic Television Summit

Thursday, Oct. 20, Grand Hyatt

The 14th Annual Hispanic Television Summit is the most successful, annual event of its kind, attracting nearly 500 professional registrants each year from the U.S., Latin America, and Spain. This year’s summit will focus on expanding the business environment of Hispanic TV & Video, which is attracting more viewers, advertisers, programs, channels, and investments than ever before. But, expansion brings new challenges. Learn how the pros are providing better entertainment while meeting new challenges with an eye on future viewers and profits.

Registration for all NYC Television & Video Week events is open with early bird rates and alumni discounts. Visit nyctvweek.com and sign up for email alerts and event updates.

For information on 2016 NYC Television & Video Week partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, contact Charlie Weiss at 212-378-0478 or cweiss@nbmedia.com.

For more information about 2016 NYC Television & Video Week, visit nyctvweek.com and follow on Twitter at @NYCTVWK

Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News, and Next TV are published by NewBay Media.

The editors of Multichannel News have announced the 2016 class of Wonder Women.

The 13 women, who will appear in a congratulatory announcement in the upcoming edition of Multichannel News, comprise the 18th class of cable, telecommunications and related entertainment and technology executives to be so honored. Their profiles will appear in the Jan. 25, 2016, edition of the magazine, and they will be saluted at a luncheon event at the Hilton New York on Thursday, March 10, 2016. The event, as always, is co-sponsored by the New York chapter of Women In Cable Telecommunications.

More information -- including photos and bios of the honorees, event details, a roster of past Wonder Women and videos from the 2015 luncheon -- are available now at mcnwonderwomen.com. Keep that site bookmarked for future news, including celebrity hosts and an upcoming separate class of Women to Watch. 

Here is the 2016 class of Wonder Women (in alphabetical order).

Patricia Betron, Senior Vice President, Multimedia Sales, ESPN.
Nicole Buie, Vice President, Marketing, Cox Media.
Megan Clarken, Executive Vice President, Global Product Leadership, Nielsen.
Karen Grinthal, Senior Vice President, National Ad Sales, Scripps Networks Interactive.
Cynthia Hook, Senior Vice President, General Auditor and Global Risk Officer, Comcast.
Holly Jacobs, Executive Vice President, U.S. Reality And Syndicated Programming, Sony Pictures Television.
Pam Kaufman, Chief Marketing Officer and President, Consumer Products, Nickelodeon Group.
Arlene Manos, President, National Advertising Sales, AMC Networks.
Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer, WWE.
Jill Ratner, Senior Vice President, Litigation, Fox Group.
Michelle Rice, Executive Vice President, Content Distribution and Marketing, TV One.
Savalle Sims, Executive Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Discovery Communications.
Ellen Stone, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Bravo and Oxygen Media.

This article was revised to correct Michelle Rice's title at TV One.

NEW YORK -- Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News today said  that Gonzalo del Fa, president, GroupM Multicultural, and Gary R. Stevenson, president and managing director, MLS Business Ventures, have been named opening and closing keynote speakers for NewBay Media’s 13th Annual Hispanic Television Summit. The premier one-day conference covering the business of Hispanic television in the United States, Latin America and around the world is set for Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Park Central Hotel New York.  

This year, for the first time, the Hispanic Television Summit will be one of the signature events that make up New York City Television Week, which also includes The Next TV Summit & Expo, The Content Show, Advanced Advertising and the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.

“The Hispanic Television Summit is always one of our most popular conferences of the year,” Louis Hillelson, VP/Group Publisher, Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News, said. “By bringing it under the New York City Television Week umbrella, our attendees will be a wide cross-section of the general market with the Hispanic television communities. This will bring added value to their participation. It’s a great opportunity for anyone looking to learn from each other, network and be inspired.”

Hillelson continued, “Our keynoters represent two areas of greatest interest to our attendees, one being ad-spend targeting Hispanic viewers, and the other being the changes affecting the immediate future of televised soccer.”

Delivering the opening keynote, del Fa will discuss “Turning Loyal Viewers into Your New Customers.” As president of GroupM Multicultural, del Fa leads all aspects of the multicultural media and marketing efforts initiated by GroupM agencies including Mindshare, MEC, Mediacom and Maxus. Under del Fa’s leadership, GroupM Multicultural handles more than $600 million in billings from clients such as Nestle, AT&T, Unilever, Anheuser Busch, Mars, Colgate, Lancôme, Abbott, Netflix, Church & Dwight, Subway, Kimberly Clark and KFC. del Fa joined GroupM in 2003 as Managing Director of MEC Argentina. 

Last year, MLS received the Leadership in Hispanic Television Award at this summit, so it is fitting that Stevenson’s closing keynote will be “A Look Ahead at the Business of Soccer on Television.” An innovator in sports marketing and media strategies for more than 35 years, Stevenson was named president and managing director of MLS Business Ventures in 2013.  Stevenson oversees the commercial side of MLS, which includes Soccer United Marketing (SUM), media/broadcasting, club services, international, marketing, content and digital. 

In addition to launching and building OnSport, a highly successful sports marketing and television consulting firm in 1997 and selling it to the Wasserman Media Group in 2007, Stevenson has served as a senior-level executive at the NBA and PGA Tour. He also was the COO and oversaw the launch of two television networks, The Golf Channel in 1995 and the Pac-12 Networks in 2012.

The Hispanic Television Summit is the premier event for those in the business of television for Hispanic audiences and covers programming, advertising, online distribution technology and this year will especially feature the genre of telenovelas. Over 500 executives attend from the U.S., Latin America, Europe and other territories, representing broadcasters, pay TV providers, over-the-top digital providers, programming networks, production companies, advertisers, ad agencies, technology suppliers, research firms and investors.

The Summit includes the presentation of the Leadership in Hispanic Television Award as well as the Award for Achievement in Hispanic Television. Previous recipients of the Leadership Award include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Dish Latino and Major League Soccer, and the Achievement Award past recipients include on-air personalities Don Francisco, Andrés Cantor, and Cristina Saralegui; network news anchors Jorge Ramos, Maria Celeste Arrarás, María Elena Salinas and José Díaz-Balart; sports celebrity Oscar De La Hoya and advertising executives Monica Gadsby of SMG and Edgar Sandoval of P&G.

The Summit is produced by The Schramm Marketing Group, based in New York City. To inquire about speaking opportunities, contact Joseph Schramm at 212-983-0219 or jschramm@schrammnyc.com. For registration, please contact Rebecca Shottland at rshottland@nbmedia.com or 917-281-4782. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Charlie Weiss at cweiss@nbmedia.com or 212-378-0478.

NewBay Media’s Television Sector brands, featuring Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News, Next TV, and Ratings Intelligence, are enhancing the way in which content flows across their print and digital products, research tools, social media, and live events.

The new system allows for deeper coverage across all mediums through the venerable Multichannel News and B&C, while also enabling the newer brands, Next TV and Ratings Intelligence, to expand their capabilities and services.

Mark Robichaux has been named editorial director for all of the TV Sector brands: Multichannel News, Broadcasting & Cable, NextTV and Ratings Intelligence. Robichaux, who previously held editor-in-chief roles at both B&C and, most recently, Multichannel News, will oversee all editorial content in print, online and events for the four brands. A veteran journalist and editor, he will look for opportunities to increase and sharpen coverage, while reaching a greater audience on all platforms.  

“We have a tremendous team in place,” said Robichaux, “one that not only honors the legacy and vision of the well-established B&C and Multichannel News titles, but one that also has the talent to lead the market into the future with newer brands such as Next TV and Ratings Intelligence.  Our commitment to the television industry expands further through our digital, social, event, and research capabilities.”

Leading these brands in new roles will be Kent Gibbons, who has been named editor of Multichannel News, Dade Hayes, who has been named editor of B&C, and Jeff Baumgartner, who has been named editor of Next TV, all reporting to Robichaux.

To focus the teams and implement new content protocols, B&C editor-in-chief Melissa Grego will transition to a newly created role of consulting editor. Grego will continue to contribute exclusively to B&C and the NewBay TV Sector as she launches her own new company with a special focus on projects that serve women in business. She will continue to author her interview column “Mel’s Diner” for B&C, blog and spearhead select editorial projects. She will also produce NewBay’s Next TV Summit & Expo conference, as well as B&C’s bicoastal Keynotes & Cocktails: Women of… event series, which she created in 2010 at B&C. In addition, throughout the year Grego will continue to represent B&C as a frequent moderator of panels and keynotes at conferences and events.

“Leading B&C as the editor-in-chief has been the privilege of my career. The entire B&C team inspires me every single day,” Grego said. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with my NewBay and B&C colleagues as I chart a new adventure with a special focus on projects that promote gender diversity.”

“We are thrilled that Melissa will continue to contribute her considerable skills to B&C and our events as she begins her own business,” noted Louis Hillelson, vice president/group publisher, NewBay Media’s Television Sector. “I am looking forward to working with both Mark and Melissa in their new roles, and offering even more opportunities for our readers, attendees, and marketing partners.”

“This new approach to content perfectly positions NewBay Media’s Television Sector to grow our extensive digital, social, live event, and print coverage,” NewBay Media CEO Steve Palm, CEO. “With unified editorial leadership across B&C, Multichannel News, Next TV, and Ratings Intelligence, we will be better able to increase the unique analysis, opinion, and perspective that we are known for, and provide even deeper coverage of the dynamic changes and opportunities affecting the TV market.