Tech@Tuck 2008-2009 Speaker Series Wraps Up With Overview of Content Distribution and Monetization

Wednesday
April 22, 2009
12:00-1:10 p.m.
Rosenwald Classroom
Tuck School of Business

Special Fireside Chat with Joel Hyatt
McLaughlin Atrium
5 p.m.

Three top media executives wrapped up this year’s Speaker Series with a provocative discussion about the monetization of video content. Carrie Ferman, T'04, Director of Strategic Initiatives, NBC Universal, Melody Tan, SVP, Strategy and Business Operations for Content Distribution and Marketing, MTV and BET Networks and Jeff Bartlett, president and general manager of Hearst-Argyle owned WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H. participated in a lively discussion.

As a director at NBC Universal, Carrie Ferman leads both strategic and operational projects. Her focus is on revenue growth across the company's business units and multiple functional areas, including broadcast/cable TV, digital media, and local media. Prior to joining NBC Universal, Carrie worked at Time Warner in various positions where she concentrated on financial and strategic initiatives, which included: business development, new media strategic formulation, acquisitions, corporate restructuring, project management, and investor road shows. Carrie has an MBA from Dartmouth College and a B.A. in Economics from UCLA.

Melody Tan, SVP, Strategy and Business Operations, Content Distribution and Marketing, MTV and BET Networks, is responsible for developing strategic recommendations for MTV and BET Networks sales and distribution initiatives. Prior to joining MTV, she worked as a growth strategy consultant for Mercer Management Consulting in New York City. She received a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Jeff Bartlett has been President and General Manager of Hearst-Argyle owned WMUR-TV in Manchester, N.H. since 2001. Bartlett has served as president and general manager of several other stations, including KHBS/KHOG in Ft. Smith/Fayetteville, Arkansas. He also served as news director at WBBM-TV in Chicago and WBZ-TV in Boston. Under his leadership, his stations have won numerous industry awards, including several Emmys.

Fireside Chat with Joel Hyatt, CEO, Current Media

Joel Hyatt, co-founder and chief executive officer of Current Media, has guided the network’s development since its inception, achieving recognition for the company’s innovative approach to producing and programming content by and for young adults. Under Hyatt’s leadership, Current has grown to over 60 million subscriber households, expanded internationally, and received an Emmy® Award, the youngest network ever to win such an honor.

In May 2007, Hyatt was elected to the board of directors of Hewlett-Packard. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institution. Previous to Current, he co-founded Hyatt Legal Services, which provided low-cost services to middle and lower- income families. Hyatt also created, founded and built Hyatt Legal Plans into America’s largest provider of employer-sponsored group legal plans, before selling the company to MetLife.

Hyatt served on the faculty at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where his courses on entrepreneurship were among the most popular at the school. He also served as National Finance Chair for the Democratic Party in 2000. Business Week recognized Hyatt as one of the top 50 business leaders in the United States.