News Releases
News Coverage
News Media
PFF Highlights
News Release
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tori Katz
August 15 , 2007
(410) 466-0049
   
Aspen Working Dinners Address Key Policy Issues
Topics Include Spectrum Markets, Content Regulation, Digital Content Protection and Online Privacy

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Progress & Freedom Foundation has finalized the agenda for the 2007 Aspen Summit, "Making Markets - Critical Information Policy Choices," scheduled for August 19th - August 21st. In addition to two full days of keynote speakers and discussion panels, the Summit will offer four informal, off-the-record working dinners on the pertinent topics of spectrum, regulation of media content, evolving business models for digital content and online privacy. A complete list of all working dinner panelists is now available on the PFF website.

The dinner "Wireless and the Economics of Secondary Spectrum Markets," will be hosted by Scott Wallsten, PFF Senior Fellow & Director of Communications Policy Studies. Panelists will react to the successes and developments illustrated by the recent trading and reselling of spectrum in secondary markets. Discussants represent a broad range of viewpoints from regulators, the private sector and academia. Participants include Alan Davidson of Google Inc., Angela E. Giancarlo of the Federal Communications Commission, Professor Thomas W. Hazlett from George Mason University, Darrin M. Mylet of Cantor Fitzgerald, Peter Pitsch from Intel Corporation, Timothy Powderly from the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce, Andrea Renda of the Centre for European Policy Studies, Gregory Rosston from Stanford University and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, and Thomas J. Sugrue of T-Mobile USA.

PFF Senior Fellow & Director of the Center for Digital Media Freedom, Adam Thierer will moderate the dinner, "Content & Future Threats to Free Expression." Participants will address efforts to regulate media content, online speech and communications at the federal, state, local and international level. Invited participants include Daniel Brenner of National Cable & Telecommunications Association, William Guidera of News Corporation, Robert Pepper, of Cisco Systems, Inc., Michelle Persaud from the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Margaret L. Tobey of NBC Universal, Inc., Shannon Weinberg from the U.S. House Committee on Energy & Commerce and Patricia Vance from the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

Attendees at the, "How Much Free Can We Take: DRM-Free, Free-Riders, and Production" will discuss evolving business models for digital content, including the roll of digital content management schemes. The dinner will be moderated by PFF Senior Adjunct Fellow, Solveig Singleton and will include policymakers and industry representatives. Invited to speak are James L. Burger of Dow Lohnes PLLC, William Carty of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Christian Castle of Christian L. Castle Attorneys, Roger Cochetti of CompTIA, Stacey Dansky of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Mitch Glazier of the Recording Industry Association of America, Gregory P. Goeckner of the Motion Picture Association of America, Michael J. Huppe from SoundExchange, Christopher Israel from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Geoffrey Manne from Microsoft Corporation, Wayne B. Paugh from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bill Rosenblatt of GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies, Johanna Shelton of Google Inc., and Thomas Sydnor of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Tom Lenard, PFF Senior Fellow & Acting President, will moderate the dinner, "Online Privacy and the Development of New Business Models." Participants will discuss the emergence of new business models which use personal information gathered online, consumer views on privacy and current and proposed regulation of online information. Participants include: David Cavicke of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Pablo Chavez from Google Inc., Chuck Cosson from Microsoft Corporation, Leslie Dunlap from Yahoo! Inc., C. Lincoln (Link) Hoewing from Verizon Communications, Commissioner William Kovacic and Brian Huseman of the Federal Trade Commission, and Leo Muñoz, from the Office of U.S. Representative Charles A. Gonzalez.

Click here for the complete Aspen Summit agenda.

Further details about the 2007 PFF Aspen Summit at the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen, Colorado can be found on our web site. General registration can be performed online or by contacting Brooke Glass at bglass@pff.org or (202) 289-8928. Members of the media will have their registration fees waived and should contact Tori Katz at tkatz@abelcommunications.net or (410) 466-0049.

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.

 

 

The Progress & Freedom Foundation