Sep 9, 2004 8:30 AM PDT    Text size: 

Representatives for Disney, the University of Southern California, the National Recording Academy of Arts and Sciences, Motorola, etc., plus Vivid and other adult online companies are taking part in what is being billed as America’s premier entertainment and technology conference.

“This event is uniquely exciting,” said Traffic Dude President Scott Rabinowitz. “This is the most humbling event anyone in this industry has ever gotten involved in. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve gotten fitted for a suit.”

Digital Hollywood began in 1990 and its keynote speakers have included Sean “Puffy” Combs, Courtney Love, and ABC News’ Sam Donaldson. Tinseltown’s trade papers, Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, are among the conference’s sponsors.

Rabinowitz is speaking on the panel titled: “The Adult Programming Sector: Broadband, Wireless, Digital Advertising and TV – Understanding the $10B Opportunity.” Rabinowitz said that the panelists from the adult entertainment business will “tell our peers in mainstream entertainment what’s working in adult and what they can use for their businesses.”

In addition to Traffic Dude’s Rabinowitz, the porn industry speakers are: Harold Muller of Oplayo, Oy; David Schlesinger of Vivid; Farrell Hirsch of Playboy; Tom Hymes, editor-in-chief, AVN Online; Gregory Clayman of VS Media; and Steve Fecske of ODBN.

Katie Smith, president of (THROB) 3ob.com, is the panel’s moderator. She is also the convener of the panel, which marks the first time that Digital Hollywood has devoted an entire seminar to the adult industry. Previously, Playboy Enterprises’ Chairman and CEO, Christie Hefner, delivered a keynote speech at a Digital Hollywood conference.

Smith said: “It’s no secret that the mainstream entertainment industry has had trouble adapting to the rapidly changing world of digital media. In general, mainstream companies have been reacting to new technologies, while its adult counterparts have been at the forefront of innovation, and, as a result, are making record profits.”

Joan Irvine, the executive director of Adult Sites Against Child Pornography, will make some comments from the floor of the panel. “One of the goals of the Free Speech Coalition and ASACP is to have the adult entertainment industry acknowledged as a legitimate and professional industry by mainstream entertainment, media and government, especially in its center - Los Angeles," Irvine told XBiz.

She went on to say: “Through the efforts of Katie Smith this is happening in a big way. I am honored that Katie asked ASACP to spend a few minutes talking about what the industry is doing to protect the children."

The Digital Hollywood trade show takes place from Sept. 27-29 at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif. The Adult Programming Sector seminar is the very last panel to occur and is scheduled from 2:15-3:30 p.m. on Sept. 29.