Another Full Day of Seminars, Parties at The Phoenix Forum

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Phoenix Forum’s “Real vs. Hype” seminar on Friday offered a refreshing session on the state of the industry.

The seminar, wedged on the second day of the Tempe, Ariz., show, offered opinion on a wide spectrum of issues from the online adult industry’s top execs, including Alec Helmy of XBIZ, Ron Cadwell of CC Bill, Tony Morgan of National Net, Stephen Sirard of Next Door Entertainment and Allison Vivas of Pink Visual.

Topics discussed were mobile porn, porn in games, tablets, apps for porn and customer loyalty in porn. So were the topics of micro payments, virtual worlds, Indian and Asian markets, the cloud, tube sites, .XXX and the “Scrub Dial,” coined by Cadwell and discussed by the panel.

With each topic, panelists showed their true feelings, by holding “hype” or “real” placards.

Mobile porn, which was discussed widely at most of the other Phoenix Forum seminars that focused on technology and monetization, again received a lion’s share of dialogue, particularly when it comes to the iPad.

Helmy, XBIZ’s president, said that the mobile business has matured to the point where “this year, we introduced a mobile news section because there’s so much business in the segment.”

“There is money being made based just on the number of news releases we get,” he said.

Friday offered a full slate of numerous seminars, besides “Real vs. Hype” including a legal session that featured ASACP CEO Joan Irvine moderating a panel that included attorneys Greg Piccionelli, Beth Hutchins, Corey Silverstein, Matt Collins and JD Obenberger.

The attorneys spoke mostly on how to protect your business by possessing bulletproof 2257 records, obtaining registered copyrights trademarks and making sure your business is structured properly.

“We’ve had this epidemic in the porn business called the handshake deal,” Silverstein said. “Yes, this is the porn business. But it is still a business. You must fundamentally have a formal agreement with your business partners.

“Right from the start have something that says he’s gotta do this or she’s gotta do that,” he said.

Piccionelli stressed that appropriate agreements, with terms attached are key to deals between companies.

“Everything that touches your company, should have a paper component or an online contract component,” he said. “They can be helpful to defend you from possible criminal prosecution.”

One topic that came up was the latest scandal to hit the porn biz — Pornwikileaks.com — which reportedly has cross-referenced thousands of porn names attached to legal names, along with addresses, in its database.

Obenberger said there could be some consequence with civil liability should addresses or social security numbers be employed.

“The fact that the names have somehow become public and now are acting to intimidate and embarrass may have an effect [even though he or she is a porn star],” he said.

In another Friday seminar, Free Speech Coalition Executive Director Diane Duke spearheaded a legal session that included panelists Peter Phinney of Porn Guardian, Trieu Hoang of AbbyWinters, Paolo C of Teen Revenue and lawyers Gil Sperlein and John Steele.

Other panels included one that discussed the best ways to compete for customers, using metrics and new technologies, and another that looked at changes in financial markets and how processing decisions and tax requirements can impact your business, as well as billing choices.

The morning and afternoon had several demos, including one presented by AdultCentro called “Increase Revenues in 10 Minutes.” $tanDaMan discussed how companies can build internal CC Bill cross-sales sites.

Another demo by Reporo’s Kieran O’Keffe and Andrew Turner showed how you can make money from mobile traffic and mobile porn.

After the annual Sponsor Meet Market, many at The Phoenix Forum were gearing to party into the night, a particularly warm one here in Tempe.

On tap is the “Cock and Tail Party,” put on by CCBill and Buddy Profits, which also is hosting a “Recovery Breakfast” later in the night.

Also in the mix are Smashbucks’ “Late-Night Poker Lounge” and City Sex Cash’s “Late-Night Hospitality Suite.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

New Membership Site 'Sluts Corner' Launches

R18 Entertainment has launched a new membership site, SlutsCorner.com.

Roxie Rae Relaunches Site Through XSiteAbility

Roxie Rae has relaunched her site through XSiteAbility.

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

Only Tax Deductions Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Adult industry accounting firm Only Tax Deductions has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Adult Empire Launches 'Conversations' Podcast Series

Adult Empire has launched a new official podcast series hosted by Nicole Chappelle and Charlie.

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

Show More