Having managed the programme and speaker line-up for the PEVE conference for many years, Screen Digest acquired the rights to the event in 2007, following the decision by long-time Presidents Jean-Paul Commin and Jean-Marie Beauloye to step down.

We sought the opinion of previous conference delegates on when and where PEVE 2008 should take place. There was an overwhelming preference for Paris in the springtime! As a result, PEVE will retain its uniquely French flavour, but without sacrificing convenience and accessibility.

Following an opening reception on the evening of Wednesday 16 April, PEVE 2008 will take place on 17-18 April at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. This unique academic institution was founded in 1925 with the aim of promoting peace and friendship among people of all nationalities after the trauma of the First World War. Today it continues to attract students and researchers from around the world, making it a fitting location for PEVE. At the heart of this community, set in extensive gardens and parkland in the south of Paris, is the Maison Internationale, designed and built in 1936 as a replica of the Château de Fontainbleu. PEVE will be held in its state-of-the-art auditorium and the imposing Salon Honnorat, a stunning 400m2 hall with views over the lawns. The Maison Internationale is easily accessible by Paris's RER train (15 minutes from the Gare du Nord, 30 minutes from Orly Airport and 45 minutes from Charles de Gaulle Airport) and via Paris's brand new Tramway.

Ben Keen, Screen Digest's Chief Analyst and PEVE Co-programme Director, who has been a contributor to the event since the earliest days, says "Screen Digest is excited to have the opportunity to build on the legacy of PEVE to create an event that will continue to form the cornerstone of the video industry calendar for many years to come. The Maison Internationale, with its combination of traditional French elegance, convenience and excellent facilities, is the ideal location for this event."


Conference programme

Now that the date and location of PEVE 2008 are fixed, the Screen Digest team has begun preparing the conference programme.

We believe that PEVE must now evolve into a truly international event. With this in mind, PEVE 2008 will continue to focus on the issues facing the packaged media sector, but will also engage with the many new challenges of digital distribution. Our aim is to maximise attendance from as many countries and industry sectors from both sides of the Atlantic as possible and to reinforce PEVE's position as the pre-eminent industry event.

To this end, Screen Digest welcomes feedback from the industry (both PEVE regulars and those who have not previously attended) on how the conference programme can best meet the needs of today's video sector. Anyone interested in contributing should follow the link below and tell us their thoughts on subjects that they would (or would not!) like to see included in the programme for PEVE 2008.