London, 18 January 2010. Speakers and delegates are lining up to participate in PEVE Digital Entertainment 2010, once again confirming the event's role as the leading forum for informed analysis and constructive debate about the issues facing the global home entertainment sector and its role in today's evolving media landscape.

The first confirmed Keynote Speaker of PEVE 2010 is John McMahon, Managing Director Europe, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Mr. McMahon is responsible for building and extending SPHE's physical and digital businesses across the region and is the division's chief liaison in Europe with the operations of Sony Electronics, PlayStation, Sony Ericsson and Sony Music Entertainment. Having previously served as head of Sony Pictures Television's European operations, he is uniquely positioned to address the issues facing today's home entertainment sector.

Other confirmed speakers at this year's event include:
>> Gerry O'Sullivan, Director of Strategic Product Development, BSkyB
>> Joe Trainor, Director of Business Development, Level 3 Communications
>> Sylvia Hitzel, VP Marketing & Sales, Singulus Technologies
>> Aodan Coburn, Exec. VP Worldwide Operations, Sony Pictures Home Ent.
>> Paul Chesney, VP International Operations, Universal Pictures Intl. Ent.
with more being confirmed every day.

Keep checking www.peve.screendigest.com for details of more high profile PEVE keynote speakers and panelists!

3D and consumer focus top the agenda
First details of the programme for this year's conference have also been unveiled. As anticipated, 3D will be a key focus of the event, with a not-to-be-missed panel bringing together speakers from the consumer electronics and content sides to discuss the practicalities of bringing the new generation of 3D to the living room.

The subject is also likely to feature on the agenda for perhaps the most eagerly-awaited session of the conference – the return of PEVE's unique 'live focus group'. First unveiled in Paris at PEVE 2009, and back by popular demand, this session gives delegates direct access to a panel of real consumers, hand picked to confirm to key demographic and behavioural profiles. Under the guidance of expert moderators, the session will help you to understand how today's consumers relate to the media around them, explore how they expect this to change in the next few years and ask the burning questions which you urgently need answered.
PEVE will also take its usual hard look at the current state of the digital market, with hard-hitting sessions examining the roadblocks to true 'anytime, anywhere' access and assessing the various strategies being used to optimise the integration of digital in the traditional product life span. The traditional value chain itself will also come under scrutiny, as a panel of speakers from across the industry debates what impact changing release windows has and asks whether the system would benefit from a complete overhaul.

Meanwhile, the conference programme also provides plenty of support for those involved in the vital day-to-day business of producing and selling DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. As the world undertakes the slow climb out of recession, a dynamic new session will examine what needs to be done to make packaged home entertainment sexy and exciting again, while a pan-industry panel will take a long, hard look at what companies across the home entertainment supply chain are doing to cut costs – without cutting corners.