THE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP ® Winter 2020 DEG 2020 Willow Bay recognized with Hedy Lamarr Award Dean Bay of the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism is the 2019 Hedy Lamarr Award recipient for Innovation in Entertainment Technology. 2020 HLA nominations are now open. Page 20 NEW DECADE. MORE DIGITAL CHOICES. Fresh EST/VOD messaging on the way Will the 2020s be remembered DEG’s Marketing Committee is developing a plan to refresh as the decade that put consumers industry message about trans- in control? P. 23 actional media to educate con- sumers on the different benefits of buying, renting and streaming. Page 40 Promotion a priority in Europe, Japan DEG Europe started 2020 with the January relaunch of Mega Movie Week, a campaign to drive consumer engagement with digital transactions. In Japan, disc promotion continues with the 12th Japan Blu-ray Awards, set for February. Page 32 THE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP ® DEGQ CONTENTS COVER STORY: New Decade. More Digital Choices. DEG Multiple DEG Members are poised to launch new D2C streaming services early this year, HBO Max and Peacock among them, to join those already in market, in what has been characterized by some observers as one of the most disruptive periods in the history of television. When we look back, will the 2020s be remembered for promise unfulfilled in terms of providing a new user experience, or will it be the decade that actually put consumers in control? Page 23 INSIDE: Matt Strauss: Chair’s Message Page 4 Amy Jo Smith: President’s Desk Page 6 DEG@CES in Photos Page 8 Source: The NPD Group (l. to r.) Bill Neighbors of Xperi – DTS intro- duced new corporate family members Matt Milne, Briana Currier and Tyler Winton of TiVo to the DEG Reception @ CES. CANON CLUB REPORT: Hedy Lamarr Awards Page 20 DEG Builds Community for New Members Page 38 Women in Digital Entertainment Committee Listing Page 40 DEG’s Canon Club relaunched in 2019 with a new DEG 2020 Events Calendar Page 48 Advisory Board and more events and opportunities for community and career building. Chief among the new Complete Member Listing Page 55 benefits is the 4 Cups of Coffee mentoring network. Cover photo illustration by Heidi Antman “4 Cups of Coffee has been a wonderful way for men- tors and mentees to meet people at different career DEG advocates and promotes entertainment stages in our industry and share advice. I leave every platforms, products and distribution channels breakfast feeling invigorated both by helping a men- that support the movie, television, music, tee and learning something new myself,” said Karin consumer electronics and IT industries. Gilford of Movies Anywhere. Page 17 The DEG can be reached at 424-248-3809, DEG’s Amy Jo Smith (r.) with via e-mail at [email protected] one of her 4 Cups mentees, Trudy or through its website at www.degonline.org. Davies of Paramount. DEGQ 2020 3 DEG CHAIR’S MESSAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Fiscal Year 2019-20 appy New Year and the global D2C industry and CHAIR welcome to the 2020s. supports its members to help Matt Strauss Peacock / NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises HI don’t know about We invite Members create a robust marketplace roaring, but for our industry to lead the new era of content VICE CHAIR this new decade is bound to to join a D2C consumption. Some of DEG’s Sofia Chang WarnerMedia Distribution (HBO) be landscape changing, as the Alliance work in this new sector looks consumer-driven entertainment a lot like it’s successful work CFO delivery transitions started in committee and in older sectors, as it brings Bob Buchi the 2010s emerge fully formed. Paramount Home Entertaiment content owners, technology Content owners of all sizes participate in providers, device manufac- SECRETARY have set their sights on moving this group’s turers and others together to Jim Wuthrich their films and TV shows closer work collaboratively in areas Warner Bros. Worldwide Home to consumers and, in many Entertainment and Games important work. including technology and oper- cases, taking ownership for ations efficiencies, consistent CHAIR EMERITUS the first time of the consumer relationships consumer messaging and measurement. Mike Dunn that long were ceded to intermediaries. This As we build the D2C economy, DEG will DIRECTORS massive movement has been enabled by also take advantage of the many opportuni- Todd Mathers technology, with improvements in networks ties for collaborative and industry-leading AT&T/DIRECTV and devices to deliver faster and higher-qual- work in newer and emerging areas, including Erol Kalafat ity streaming video, but also by changes in search and discovery, privacy, security and Amazon Studios consumer behaviors and lifestyles, which password protection. We invite you to join a prioritize access, use and experience over D2C Alliance committee and participate in Sergei Kuharsky BBC Studios ownership, and on-the-go convenience this important work. equally with in-home entertainment con- As always, DEG will continue to support Mark Young Fandango sumption. digital transactions and physical media, as While the business of entertainment these platforms will continue to be a part Jonathan Zepp creation and distribution is changing dra- of consumers’ expanding universe of digital Google matically, however, some bedrock principles media entertainment. Rick Hack remain the same. At the end of the day, pro- A vast, new entertainment landscape is Intel viding highest quality content to consumers definitely taking shape, and it is building and Tim Alessi with convenience, flexibility and affordability expanding on what came before. n LG Electronics USA remains a guiding principle of our industry and it is one that DEG remains committed to Matt Strauss Ron Schwartz Lionsgate helping Members achieve. Chairman, Peacock and Through the D2C Alliance Council, created NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises Pedro Gutierrez Microsoft last year as a working group within the and Chair, DEG: The Digital Entertainment larger trade organization, DEG represents Group Andrea Downing PBS Distribution Chad Bautista Samsung Electronics DEG Cheryl K. Goodman President & CEO Editor Project Coordinator DEG Q Art Director Sony Electronics Amy Jo Smith Marcy Magiera Shannon Gregory Heidi Antman [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Eddie Cunningham Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Executive Director Account Manager Project Coordinator General Counsel SPECIAL ADVISOR John Powers Andi Elliott Bekah Sturm Ian J. Fried Robin Tarufelli [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Deloitte DEGQ 2020 4 DEG PRESIDENT’S DESK For New Decade, DEG Focuses on Community Building, Best Practices in Streaming elcome to the New Decade. As DEG will support our D2C Alliance Council with always, the year seems to be Walready speeding by, the trek to initiatives around uniform messaging, search and and from CES not just about traveling the 230 miles across the desert from Las Vegas discovery, password sharing, tech ops efficiencies to Los Angeles, but more like being swept at warp speed into the business of what’s and measurement, privacy and security. next. At CES, Consumer Technology Associ- value of which is access, not ownership – Alliance (D2CA), started last year. As ation (CTA) leader Gary Shapiro used his moves to the center of the digital enter- multiple Members are poised to launch global stage to describe the highest-level tainment ecosystem. According to DEG’s new services early this year, HBO Max trends impacting business, including an annual accounting, consumers spent and Peacock among them, to join those economy shifting from the ownership of $15.9 billion on subscription streaming, already in market, DEG will support our things to the sharing of things and a world which now accounts for 63 percent of the D2C Alliance Council to tackle challenges evolving beyond just digital to become $25.2 billion digital home entertainment and coordinate voluntary best practices truly connected. These observations were market. This reflects a 24 percent increase and initiatives around uniform messaging, not made specifically about digital enter- in streaming revenue for the year, which search and discovery, password sharing, tainment, but they clearly can be applied to drove an 8.4 percent increase in digital tech ops efficiencies and measurement, as our business. home entertainment spending overall. well as privacy and security. This com- Media ownership and collection, while The pie is growing, which is great munity building and sharing of knowledge still one way that people consume their news, and the growth of streaming, both and best practices will happen in both favorite movies and TV shows, is moving SVOD and AVOD, are central to DEG’s committee and larger conference settings to the edges, while streaming – the core focus for 2020 on our Direct-to-Consumer throughout the year. At the same time, DEG continues to support physical and digital transactions and is working within our Marketing Committee to freshen the industry’s communication about the value of both digital transactions (EST and VOD) and 4K UHD Blu-ray. (Marketing Committee Chair Nadia Haney goes into more detail on page 42.) I encourage all Members to participate in setting DEG objectives like these and to work together with us to increase the value to consumers of digital media in all its forms. Please contact DEG to become involved. n Amy Jo Smith President & CEO DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group Smith welcomes Members to the DEG Reception @ CES 2020. DEGQ 2020 6 Among Friends | DEG Reception @ CES Marquee Nightclub at Cosmopolitan was abuzz with discussion about the continuing DEG @CES consumer transition to digital platforms, particularly D2C subscription services, during DEG’s annual reception at CES, as entertainment delivery was much in the news at the show. Of course, fun was also had, as several attendees won consumer electronics from LG and Sony.