...Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering (SCIEN) to produce a two-day conference entitled "Entertainment Technology in the Internet Age" (ETIA). Starting June 18 at Stanford University's Palo Alto, California, campus, the conference will explore the technology, creative, and business requirements for delivering a compelling, high-quality, monetizable entertainment experience over the web. Through a series of panel discussions and presentations, with ample opportunity for audience participation, the ETIA conference will examine topics within the areas of Internet-focused content creation, distribution, and monetization, as well as technical tools and solutions for shaping the user experience. Among the presentations planned is "Flash Forward — How HTML-5 and Canvas Will Become the Next Interactive Screen for Web Media," a panel discussion by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and media technology experts on the future of UI technology, as well as several sessions examining the standards and formats—SMPTE Interoperable Master Format (IMF), HLS, and MPEG-DASH— being used to facilitate content distribution and optimization of content quality.

"Where Are the Eyeballs?" will look at consumers' shift from subscription pay services to Web services, and a subsequent session will examine the role of new analytics technology in illuminating consumer behavior. Related sessions will examine techniques for incorporating advertising into Internet content and delve into how second screens, such as PCs and tablets, are being used to complement the main-screen viewing experience. As Internet distribution becomes more ubiquitous, many of the regulatory requirements that traditional content providers have incorporated, such as closed captioning, will be a reality for Internet distributed content as well. The regulatory environment in Washington, D.C., will also be discussed along with the solutions that have been given safe harbor status by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The highly charged topic of commercial content protection will also be addressed from the political, business, and technical challenges perspective.

Held in the CEMEX auditorium in the Knight Management Center in Stanford Graduate School of Business, the ETIA will give delegates ample time to engage with speakers and one another as they discuss topics of the day with a common interest in entertainment technology. Discounted early-bird rates apply to those registering by April 1. Further information about the ETIA conference, including a full schedule and registration information, is available online at www.smpte.org/ETIA2013.