LOS ANGELES -- Dr. Saul J. Berman, Lead Media & Entertainment Strategy Partner and Global Executive, IBM, will address the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy as its Day-Two keynote speaker, June 21, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.  His presentation is entitled:  "The End of Television as We Know It...And the Implications on the Supply Chain,"  

"Suppliers lay the foundation of change with network upgrades and converged service roll-outs,"  he explains.  "However, the industry tipping point ultimately depends on the mix of users and their acceptance of new services and pricing." 

Based on his recent value chain research study, "The End of Television as We Know It," Berman will address an audience of the leading home video, game and music content holders, service providers, distributors and retailers about the changing dynamics of the content delivery landscape, circa 2012. 

The good news for the current home video business that relies on a model of broadcast and cable television and physical media products, is that the current mass market population of Massive Passives will continue to perpetuate the current  home video experience, though on a declining curve; this mass market will far outnumber the more public, technology-enabled Gadgetiers and Kool Kids -- at least for the next five to seven years.  But when technology fluidity, education and customer service take hold, and as the generation of Massive Passives ages, the signs are clear that the mass market will move to a more on-demand, interactive experience, which is likely to impact the lifespan of physical media and threaten the  home video business model as we know it. 

Berman recommends that media executives should invest in divergent strategies and supply chains for both consumer types:  "Identify, develop and continually refine data-driven user profiles in order to optimize product and service development, distribution, marketing messaging and service migration," he recommends. 

As the luncheon keynote at the first annual Entertainment Supply Chain Academy on June 21, Berman will be addressing the largest audience of home media content holders, operations and procurement executives, replicators and service providers, distributors and retailers in Los Angeles this year -- due to the co-location of the first annual Entertainment Supply Chain Academy in Los Angeles  with the membership meeting of the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG), the leading trade organization on the Hollywood video studios.

 For over 20 years, Dr. Berman has provided consulting services on strategy, organization and operations to entertainment and telecommunications companies, consumer goods manufacturers and retailers in the US, Japan, Europe and Australia.  He was named among Consulting Magazine's 'top 25' most influential consulting leaders in 2005.  A former Entertainment and Media Lead Partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Berman was the author of the recent, acclaimed study, "Media and Entertainment 2010," which first described the "open media company" of the future. 

"Open architectures and open business strategies let media businesses exploit rapidly developing niches, create new or aggregated revenue streams and customize open relationships with content creators, distributors, customers and consumers," he wrote. 

Open collaboration between all players in the DVD, videogame and CD media supply chain is the mission of the first annual Entertainment Supply Chain Academy, June 20-21, 2006.  This vital training and networking event will bring together key figures from the home video, audio and gaming industries with leading supply chain professionals and retailers for a much-needed forum and platform for learning about the latest opportunities in the delivery of current and emerging packaged entertainment formats. 

For more information about the Entertainment Supply Chain Academy (ESCA), visit www.entertainmentsupplychain.com