While the WGA strike is now a memory, the immediate future of the television industry remains anything but clear. Uncertainty about the viability of online platforms as strong business models, questions about content on mobile platforms, and the increasing penetration of entertainment alternatives like video games and social media are only some of the issues. At the 2008 Future of Television Conference in Los Angeles on March 24-25, an extraordinary group of speakers will gather to evaluate the state of the industry, and discuss what lies ahead.

Headlining at the event is Marshall Herskovitz. The Emmy-Winner, Writer, Director, and Producer, with such credits as Traffic, Blood Diamond, The Last Samurai, and thirtysomething, is co-creator of quarterlife, the first Internet series to be picked up by a major television network (NBC will air the first episode of the series later this month). Herskovitz is also President of the Producers Guild of America.

The speaking lineup includes thought-leaders from a wide range of backgrounds. The stalwarts of the industry will be well-represented: Jim Packer, Co-President of Worldwide Television for MGM; Greg Clayman, EVP of Digital Distribution & Business Development for MTV; Brett Bouttier, Senior Vice President, Digital forWarner Bros. Television Group; Ron Berryman, SVP & GM – FOX Stations Group for Fox Interactive Media; and Derek Broes, SVP of Worldwide Business Development at Paramount Pictures are among the speakers at the event.

Up-and-coming companies making big names for themselves will be there as well: Joel Hyatt, Co-Founder & CEO of Current TV will keynote on Day 2, and Steve Mitgang, CEO of Veoh Networks, will participate on a panel.

Yet a discussion about the Future of Television would be incomplete if limited to content creators and networks. Representing the perspective of advertisers will be Tony Ponturo, President & CEO, Busch Media Group / VP, Global Media & Sports Marketing, Anheuser-Busch, who will keynote on Day 2. And Steve Jang, CMO & Head of Business Development at imeem will represent the social media angle.

Over 3,000 senior executives have attended the East Coast event (held in partnership with NYU's Stern School of Business and the Consumer Electronics Association) over the past seven years. Speakers have included some of the most powerful players in television including Leslie Moonves (Chairman, CBS), Mark Cuban (Chairman, HDNet /Owner, Dallas Mavericks), Jack Abernethy (CEO, Fox Television Stations), Bruce Rosenblum (President, Warner Bros. Television Group) and Tom Rogers (President & CEO, TiVo).

Don’t miss the inaugural West Coast event! For more information, please contact Tinzar Sherman at 310-955-0033 or email: television@digitalmediawire.com