2023 Agenda

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

8:30 – 9:30 am

Breakfast and Registration

9:30 – 9:40 am

THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA WELCOME

• Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media
• Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO, The Paley Center for Media

9:40 – 10:10 am

The Henry A. Kissinger Annual Keynote Address made possible by the William S. Paley Foundation: Political Landscape: Global Affairs, Policy and Perspective

Speakers:

• Ambassador Susan Rice, Domestic Policy Advisor (2021-23), U.S. National Security Advisor (2013-17), and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2009-13)
• Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media

2024 promises no shortages of geopolitical news. From the current conflicts to the pivotal U.S. election, climate change, and ongoing friction with China, it is more important now than ever to understand the interconnectedness of our global society. Join visionary leaders Ambassador Susan E. Rice and Frank A. Bennack, Jr. as they share unparalleled insight into how the coming year may play out on the world stage.

10:15 – 10:45 am

If content is king, distribution is King Kong

Speakers:

• Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO, Verizon Consumer Group, Verizon
• Matt Strauss, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, NBCUniversal

Moderator:

• Stephanie Ruhle, Host, The 11th Hour, MSNBC; Senior Business Analyst, NBC News

As streaming booms, content companies have had to continue to focus not only on great content, but on winning the distribution game in the new subscription economy. So, is content still king or does it now share the throne with those who have mastered the art of base management? How can wireless and ISPs help content businesses fix their pivotal issue: User churn? Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO of Verizon Consumer Group, and Matt Strauss, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, for NBCUniversal, will discuss the ways in which they have mastered this art, and how by partnering effectively, content companies and distribution juggernauts can help each other change the streaming landscape for the better.

10:50 – 11:20 am

Expanding a Business Without Losing Your Way

Speakers:

• Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Chairman of the Management Board & CEO, Vivendi
• Michael Kassan, Founder and CEO, MediaLink

From company culture to customer loyalty, expanding a business in a global marketplace is full of expected and unexpected challenges. How can it be done artfully but in such a way as to stay relevant in different cultural environments? Arnaud de Puyfontaine, CEO of Vivendi, in conversation with Michael Kassan, CEO of MediaLink, weighs in on lessons learned from atop a company with interests in television, movies, advertising, press, gaming, and more.

11:20 – 11:35 am

NETWORKING BREAK

11:35 am – 12:05 pm

The Great Pivot: How “New” Companies Have Become Leaders in Content

Speaker:

• Ynon Kreiz, CEO, Mattel, Inc.

Moderator:

• Becky Quick, Co-Anchor, Squawk Box, CNBC

A decade ago no one would have mentioned a wildly successful company like Mattel in a conversation about leaders in creating content. Today, this bastion of corporate America is succeeding where so many others have failed. In an age of “peak content” there are few companies who are not dipping their toes in the pool but not many have been met with the kind of success seen by Mattel and one of the biggest movies of all time, this summer’s Barbie. Join CEO Ynon Kreiz in conversation with CNBC's Becky Quick and as they discuss their thoughts on the industry and why Mattel, Inc. is winning a game so many others have lost.

12:10 – 12:40 pm

Ads and Content—Perfect Together

Speakers:

• Steve King, Chairman of Europe, Publicis Groupe
• Janet Lee, SVP / CMO, Mobile Experience, Samsung Electronics America
• Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive Officer, ITV

Moderator: 

• Michael Bürgi, Senior Editor, Media Buying & Planning, Digiday

As advertising has become more integrated into original content, creators of all types would be well-served to know more about their audiences and what they will and will not tolerate from ad experiences. What is the most engaging type of ad, how (and where) are they most effective? From TV to social media and podcasting, how are platforms old and new impacting the industry? Join Steve King, Chairman of Europe for Publicis Groupe, Janet Lee, CMO for Samsung Electronics America, and Carolyn McCall, CEO of ITV, as they peel back the curtain of the modern ad space from the perspectives of agency, brand, and platform.

12:45 – 1:15 pm

Apple’s Eddy Cue on the Future of Sports

Speaker:

• Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Services, Apple, Inc.

Moderator: 

• Taylor Twellman, Lead Analyst, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

Over the last fifteen years, it’s become easier than ever to watch every sport at home or on the go. The downside? It’s more difficult than ever for fans to know where and when to tune into their favorite leagues, teams, and players. Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, will discuss the future of sports media—from the changing landscape for sports rights to the state of sports journalism. Cue will also share insights on Apple’s unprecedented ten-year partnership with Major League Soccer and bringing Lionel Messi to the league, and the expansion of sports coverage and curation in Apple News.

1:15 – 2:15 pm

Networking Luncheon

2:15 – 2:45 pm

Media M&A: How Modern Media Giants are Operating in Uncertain Financial Times

Speaker:

• Blair W. Effron, Partner, Cofounder, Centerview Partners LLC

Moderator:

• Faiza J. Saeed, Presiding Partner, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP

Partnerships and M&A have never been more influential to the media industry. With technological change and disruption the order of the day, strategic corporate moves can be the difference between the next big thing and irrelevance. No one has been in the thick of these developments more than Blair Effron, Partner and Cofounder of Centerview Partners. Join him in conversation with Faiza Saeed, Presiding Partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, as they take a look at the media landscape, the changes that have gotten us to today, what can we expect to see from deals and deal-making, and what the future may look like.

2:50 – 3:20 pm

Measuring an Audience Across Multiple Platforms

Speaker:

• David Kenny, Executive Chairman, Nielsen

Moderator:

• Jonathan Miller, CEO, Integrated Media Company

Gone are the days of measuring your audience with a box connected to your TV. Now, content creators send their product to televisions, phones, tablets, laptops, wearables, and more. With so much data coming back from those devices, how do leaders make data-driven decisions with confidence? Cross-platform measurement has never been more pivotal to business and making sense of it all has been a key hurdle to overcome. Not anymore. Join Nielsen Executive Chairman David Kenny and Integrated Media Company CEO Jonathan Miller as they discuss finding an audience, measuring it, and keeping it.

3:25 – 3:55 pm

The Future of Work

Speakers:

• Debra Lee, Founder and Chair, Leading Women Defined Foundation
• Ryan Roslansky, Chief Executive Officer, LinkedIn

Moderator:

• Stephanie Mehta, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Content Officer, Mansueto Ventures

Where we work has fundamentally changed in the past five years. As technology continues to evolve at breakneck pace, the way we work will continue to evolve in ways we never imagined. What will the future of work look like and how can businesses ensure that they have a skilled and diverse workforce for the benefit of their companies and society at large? Debra Lee, Founder and Chair of Leading Women Defined Foundation, and Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn, will take a deep dive into what work may look like for the next generation.

3:55 – 4:10 pm

NETWORKING BREAK

4:15 – 4:45 pm

30 Years of Interactive Entertainment and Take-Two Interactive

Speaker:

• Strauss Zelnick, Chairman and CEO, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.

Moderator:

• Campbell Brown, VP, Global Media Partnerships, Meta

When gaming giant Take-Two Interactive was founded in 1993, the landscape of the interactive entertainment industry was vastly different. Consoles were king. AI was science fiction. Since that time, Take-Two has been on the forefront of creativity, delivering some of the industry’s most beloved and commercially successful franchises, as well capitalizing on new technologies and emerging business models to establish new paradigms for consumer engagement. CEO Strauss Zelnick discusses the evolution of Take-Two and the industry, and what lies ahead on the horizon. As interactive entertainment continues to be the fastest growing segment of entertainment, Zelnick and his team are striving to achieve continued, long-term success through their core tenets of creativity, innovation, and efficiency.

4:50 – 5:20 pm

Climate Change: The critical role the media, business, and other stakeholders play in shaping the narrative

Speakers:

• Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, U.S. News Editor, Financial Times
• Ed Skyler, Head of Enterprise Services and Public Affairs, Citi

Moderator: 

• Chloe Demrovsky, President and CEO, Disaster Recovery Institute International 

Climate change is an existential crisis that demands action from across the globe and from almost every industry. Climate solutions are coming online but are quite technical. We need to gain broad public support for these technologies, and communicate the successes that are already being realized. But we live in a world where attention spans are short and the appetite for technical depth is waning. Join Reuters’ Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni; Roula Khalaf, Editor of Financial Times; and Citi Head of Enterprise Services and Public Affairs Ed Skyler for an in-depth conversation on the issue, solutions, and how the media can impact the way the world responds.

5:25 – 5:55 pm

On the Brink: How Real is the Threat of Nuclear War?

Opening Remarks:

• Michael Douglas, Actor, Producer, and United Nations Messenger of Peace  

Speakers:

• Bonnie Denise Jenkins, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, U.S. Department of State
• Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations
  

Moderator:

• Jonathan Granoff, President, Global Security Institute  

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, the possibility of nuclear war has never been a graver issue. But a lot has changed since the Cold War. Today’s leaders, along with the proliferation of nuclear weapons and modern technology, have only made the issue more complex. Additionally, local tensions and the increase in terrorism potentially mean a greater threat from weapons of mass destruction than ever before. What do you need to know about the new look of this threat? How could it impact your life and your company and what is being done to ensure cooler heads continue to prevail?

5:55 – 6:00 pm

Closing Remarks

• Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

8:30 – 9:30 am

Breakfast and Registration

9:30 – 9:40 am

Opening Remarks

• Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media
• Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO, The Paley Center for Media

9:40 – 10:10 am

The Evolution of Black and Brown Storytelling on TV

Speaker:

• Debra Martin Chase, Executive Producer, The Equalizer, CBS, and Becoming Mary Tyler Moore, HBO
• Susan Fales-Hill, Executive Producer and Writer, And Just Like That, Max
• Tonya Lewis Lee, Director, Producer, Author

Moderator:

• Crystal McCrary, Filmmaker, Producer, Author, Entrepreneur

While there remains a lot of work to do on representation in Hollywood, the needle is finally moving in the right direction. In a fresh and original discussion of a long-examined issue, Crystal McCrary guides a frank, deep, and thoughtful discussion on the changes that have been made and the work left to do with Debra Martin Chase, Susan Fales-Hill, and Tonya Lewis Lee. These pioneers and leaders in writers’ rooms, production companies, and studios have led a sea change so content from diverse voices can find a wider audience, opening the door for more stories from a variety of perspectives.

10:15 – 10:45 am

How the NHL Is Engaging Fans and Reaching New Ones

Speakers:

• Gary B. Bettman, Commissioner, National Hockey League
• Mike Richter, New York Rangers Legend; 1994 Stanley Cup Champion; U.S. Olympian

Moderator:

• Aryeh B. Bourkoff, Founder and CEO, LionTree LLC

The NHL has been through many changes over the past 100 years but fans have always been central to the organization. From outdoor games to the NHL Green initiative to attracting new and younger fans with “Big City Greens,” how are these initiatives and others helping sustain and grow the fan base? Join Commissioner Gary Bettman and New York Ranger Legend Mike Richter in conversation with Aryeh Bourkoff, Founder and CEO of LionTree LLC, as they discuss this and more.

10:50 – 11:30 am

FROM STREAMING WARS TO AI AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN: The State of Media (ZOOM)

Speakers:

• Mike Fries, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman, Liberty Global
• John C. Malone, Chairman, Liberty Global

From the surge in artificial intelligence to advancements in streaming technology, the media landscape continues to evolve resulting in new challenges facing executives and new opportunities. Join Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, and John Malone, Chairman of Liberty Global, for an insightful and wide-ranging discussion on the state of the media industry.

11:35 am – 12:05 pm

NETWORKING BREAK

12:10 – 12:40 pm

Leveraging Media to Combat Religious Persecution

Speakers:

• Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York
• Father Raymond J. de Souza, Columnist, National Post, National Catholic Register

Moderator:

• William McGurn, Opinion Columnist, Main Street, The Wall Street Journal

In some ways the global community is more fractured than ever before in our lifetime. This leads to all kinds of conflict on every scale. A recent Pew study found that religious groups reported harassment of some kind in 90% of the world’s nations, a 21% increase over the last decade. How can media be used to bring people together across faiths and quell the unrest? Timothy Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York will discuss this important issue with Father Raymond J. de Souza of National Catholic Register.

12:45 – 1:15 pm

Going Global and Staying Local: Expanding Your Audience without Sacrificing your Core

Speakers:

• Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego, Founder and CEO, Grupo Salinas
• Tim Davie, Director-General, BBC

Moderator: 

• Melissa Lee, Host, Fast Money, CNBC

International expansion is not without risks. While gaining new audiences is key to success, what about the ones that got you there? How can a company appeal to a core, local group while also welcoming new and diverse customers into the fold. Join Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, and Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego, Founder and CEO of Grupo Salinas as they discuss the ways in which their companies are reaching more people around the globe.

1:15 – 1:20 pm

Closing Remarks

• Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO, Hearst; Chairman, The Paley Center for Media

Events and participants are subject to change.