Audio Video News

L.A.'s Beverly Hilton Hotel will be swarming with television executives and technical gurus this week as the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) hosts its fifth Digital Television Summit conference. The conference officially begins Tuesday, September 28, preceeded by a reception Monday evening featuring a high-definition broadcast of Monday Night Football.

The DTV Summit will be attended by folks from every corner of the electronics industry: producers, engineers, satellite and cable executives, and retailers. They will take part in workshops and panel discussions intended to help them educate the public about the benefits of digital TV. Workshops in digital post-production will help technicians and editors make the best of the new format. Of particular interest to programmers and marketing executives will be a discussion entitled "Will DTV Make It Happen?," which will address the dawning age of interactive TV.

This year's event is co-sponsored by the Association for Maximum Service Television, Inc. (MSTV), the North American Retail Dealers Association (NARDA), the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Cable Television Association (NCTA), the Satellite Broadcasting Communications Association (SBCA), the Professional Audio/Video Retailers Association (PARA), and the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE). Each of these organizations has millions of dollars riding on the success of digital TV—a gamble that ultimately depends on the quality of programming offered.

"Our industries are already working together to bring high-quality DTV programming to consumers," says Gary Shapiro, president of CEMA. "We hope this event will foster even more cooperation like this—and ensure that the programming available maximizes the full potential of DTV.''

Further information about the DTV Summit is available at CEMA's website or by calling (703) 907-7603.