Members of the Digital Coast Community:

Welcome to the first edition of the Digital Coast Industry Briefing, a quarterly newsletter published by the Digital Coast Roundtable and developed by its Industry Relations Committee, which brings together the presidents of Southern California's technology-related trade associations and networking organizations to discuss issues and events happening in our local industry community.

On May 6, a meeting was held at Shutters on the Beach Hotel in Santa Monica to officially launch the Industry Relations Committee. Among the organizations participating in the first meeting were the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, Association of Internet Professionals, International Interactive Communications Society, Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter, Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance, LAWNMOWER-The New Media Roundtable, Paradigm Network, Southern California Software Council, Society for Internet Advancement, VIC, Webgrrls, Women in Film and Women In New Technology.

This inaugural edition of The Digital Coast Industry Briefing is dedicated to simply introducing the participating organizations that make up our local industry community. Future editions will explore the dynamic individuals and companies within these organizations, the issues they are facing and the news they are making. As new groups join the committee, they will also be profiled and linked from the DCR site at http://www.digitalcoast.org.

The Digital Coast Industry Briefing is an extension of the Digital Coast Roundtable (DCR), an organization that brings together industry, government and academic leaders to promote the successes in the new media industry and the areas that are directly impacted. The DCR is committed to communicating important news and progress being made throughout the Digital Coast Community and will distribute the Industry Briefing to all DCR members, industry association memberships, the media, and on the DCR Web site

I welcome your feedback regarding the Digital Coast Industry Briefing and look forward to continually providing useful news and information from the forefront of the thriving digital media industry community here in Los Angeles. A special thank you goes to the sponsor of the Industry Relations Committee, Ernst & Young, in particular Phyllis Lane for her commitment and support of this initiative.

Best regards,

Tony Winders
Chairman, Industry Relations Committee
President, InterActive Agency, Inc. (iAgency)
tony@iagency.com

About the Digital Coast Roundtable

Our host, the Digital Coast Roundtable (DCR), was founded in 1998 and brings together industry, academic and government leaders to promote the success of the new media industry and meet the needs of a wide range of market interests in the Los Angeles area. The mission of the DCR is to define, map and brand LA's and Southern California's new media industry; to participate in focused public/private partnerships to upgrade the infrastructure and connectivity of the new media industry; and to support efforts to improve LA's educational infrastructure in order to develop a first class technical and creative workforce.

One of the most noteworthy accomplishments of the DCR has been the development of an industry study "A Stake in the Ground" that will be conducted in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Plog Research beginning in September and continuing throughout 1999. Once complete, the study will define the size and scope of our industry and the types of companies and individuals that collectively make up the Digital Coast.

Industry Relations Committee Overview

The Industry Relations Committee is a service of the Digital Coast Roundtable and brings together on a quarterly basis the presidents of Los Angeles' technology and media professional associations to discuss timely issues and events facing the companies and individuals in our local digital media industries. The Industry Relations Committee also provides a forum for the Digital Coast Roundtable to communicate its agenda to the community through its leadership. The Industry Relations Committee publishes a quarterly newsletter, "The Digital Coast Industry Briefing," to communicate to all parties the news, events and information affecting Los Angeles digital media industry. Ernst & Young has generously underwritten the cost of the Industry Relations Committee's quarterly events.

Working Criteria for Participation in the committee includes membership-based interactive media, technology and entertainment professional associations, user groups, networking organizations or trade unions with at least 25 members or a formalized Board of Directors, regularly scheduled meetings.

Associations currently participating in the Industry Relations Committee include:

Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences
Association of Internet Professionals
Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter
International Interactive Communications Society
Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance
LAWNMOWER - The New Media Roundtable
Paradigm Network
L.A. ACM/SIGGRAPH
Southern California Software Council
Society for Internet Advancement
Webgrrls
Women In Film
Venice Interactive Community
Women In New Technology

Upcoming Events

Following is an overview of the upcoming events of the various industry associations profiled in this issue of the Digital Coast Briefing. For the most up to date information, please confirm these dates with the sponsoring organizations. We also recommend the SoCalTechCalendar, located at http://www.socaltechcalendar.com.

June 22 Southern California Software Council - Product Launch Bootcamp
June 23 Southern California Software Council - Los Angeles Chapter Dinner
June 24 VIC - VIC@TheVictorian
June 24 Society for Internet Advancement - Monthly meeting
June 29 Digital Coast Roundtable - Annual election
June 29 VIC - Breakfast@VIC
June 30 Southern California Software Council - Entrepreneurial Repartee
July 6 VIC - VIC presents
July 13 Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter - Monthly Meeting (Wwy2kW)
July 15 VIC - VIC@The Victorian
July 22 IICS - Chapter Meeting
July 27 VIC - Breakfast@VIC
August 1 LAWNMOWER-The New Media Roundtable - Herring on Hollywood Entrepreneur Workshop
August 3 VIC - VIC presents
August 5 DCR Industry Relations Committee - Quarterly meeting
August 10 Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter - Monthly Meeting (Intranets)
August 12 VIC - VIC@The Victorian
August 31 VIC - Breakfast@VIC
September 7 VIC - VIC presents
September 12 VIC - VIC Industry
September 14 Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter - Monthly Meeting

This inaugural edition of the Digital Coast Industry Briefing is dedicated to educating the community about the professional organizations that serve the interactive and digital media industries in Los Angeles. Future editions will focus on the activities of these organizations and the accomplishments and challenges of their individual members and companies.

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, a worldwide non-profit membership organization, was founded in 1996. It's board of directors, chaired by Glenn Entis, CEO of DreamWorks Interactive, includes senior-level executives from organizations such as Interactive Digital Software Association (the largest interactive entertainment industry trade association and owner of E3), Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Nintendo, Sega, Hasbro Interactive, Creative Capers Entertainment, and The Learning Company/Mattel. The mission of the Academy is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding content and craft achievement in its field; conduct an annual awards show; and enhance the image and awareness of the interactive arts and sciences.

Association of Internet Professionals - AIP
http://la.association.org

The Association of Internet Professionals is the largest professional organization in the US for Web Developers and Internet Service Providers. The mission of AIP-LA is to empower Southern California Internet professionals to maximize their success in the Internet industry. The organization serves as a networking and skills exchange resource for Web site developers and digital graphic artists. The goal of AIP-LA is to nurture the development of the New Media industry and provide both professional and social contacts for area Web Developers. The Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Internet Professionals meets from 7:00-9:00PM on the last Tuesday of each month.

International Interactive Communications Society - IICS
http://iicsla.org

The IICS is the premier worldwide association for interactive media professionals. Dedicated to the advancement of interactive arts and technologies since 1983, members of the IICS include professionals involved in the rapidly-integrating digital " convergence" industries: multimedia, computing, telecommunications, education, online services, mass media, entertainment and publishing, among others. The IICS is unique in the broad spectrum of media issues we address, and for the talent, information, networking and educational resources we provide to our international membership.

Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter - ISOC-LA
http://www.isoc-la.org

The general purpose of the Internet Society / Los Angeles Chapter is to advance and promote the Mission, Guiding Principles, and Programs of the Internet Society. Simply s tated it is to assure the beneficial, open evolution of the global Internet and its related internet technologies through leadership in standards, issues, and education. More specific to our local purpose, we are dedicated to increasing the accessibility to and usefulness of the Internet to all persons in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Los Angeles Regional Technology Alliance - LARTA
http://www.larta.org

LARTA's mission is to strengthen and sustain the region's technology base through direct assistance, networking, and information. The organization is one of three nonprofit private/public partnerships created through legislation by the state of California in 1994 after defense downsizing eliminated nearly 200,000 jobs in Los Angeles County alone. The organization serves small- and medium-sized technology companies, service providers, public sector agencies, and colleges and universities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.

LAWNMOWER - The New Media Roundtable
http://www.lawnmoweronline.com

LAWNMOWER is dedicated to bringing together the national new media community by producing live events in LA, SF and NYC and by maintaining a vibrant Web presence at LAWNMOWERonline.com. We facilitate the interaction of large, established companies (our National Partners of Record and Sponsors) and emerging, high growth companies which exhibit their technologies as part of the LAWNMOWER LIVE Showcase and online at LAWNMOWER's Beta Lounge. We spotlight the tools, standards and technologies, which are driving the models for business and entertainment on the internet.

Paradigm Network

The Paradigm Network started in 1995 as an informal group of friends interested in the business opportunities emerging from the integration of the film, television, music, media, advertising and technology communities. Today, Paradigm members are decision- makers in a variety of industries. Their positions and the relationships developed through the Paradigm Network are facilitating the melding of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Membership in the Paradigm Network is by invitation only, with goal being to stay small and nimble.

Society For Internet Advancement - SIA
http://www.thesia.org

The Society for Internet Advancement (SIA) represents the interests of interactive advertising and marketing professionals in the United States. Its goals are to provide a source of leadership for excellence in the practice of interactive advertising and marketing; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas pertaining to interactive advertising and marketing; to maintain high professional standards and sound practices by its members in order that interactive advertising shall earn increased public recognition and acceptance; to educate its members of industry trends and advancements in interactive technology; and to promote harmonious and efficient relationships among advertisers, their agencies, and the interactive advertising media suppliers.

Software Council of Southern California - SCSC
http://www.scsc.org

The Software Council of Southern California (SCSC) is a non-profit, membership-only trade association, comprised of software development organizations, as well as those companies that provide support and services to the local software industry. The Software Council brings people and information together to strengthen our member companies and to enhance our region's climate for growth and the quality of our industry. The organization voices the concerns of the software industry in Southern California and serves as a clearinghouse for industry information.

L.A. ACM/SIGGRAPH
http://www.siggraph.org/chapters/los_angeles/

L.A. ACM/SIGGRAPH is a Professional Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group in Computer Graphics, serving the Los Angeles area. Organized and operating exclusively for educational and scientific purposes relating to the field of computer graphics, L.A. ACM/SIGGRAPH is a nonprofit organization, run by volunteers. Officially chartered in September, 1991, L.A. ACM/SIGGRAPH has provided a forum for members to meet regularly, share their work, and exchange ideas. Our goal is to bring members in depth coverage of the latest developments and achievements in the field of computer graphics. We have brought together expert panels and presenters from various fields including Animation, Visual Effects, Motion Capture, Multi-Media, Internet and Web Design, Virtual Reality, and others.

Venice Interactive Community - VIC
http://www.thevic.org

Founded in 1995, VIC is a community of professionals whose common interest in digital media serves as a catalyst for their communication and collaboration. Started in Venice, California, VIC is a nonprofit organization led by co-founder and executive director Brad Nye and its board of directors Spence Bovee of WaveTop, Mariana Danilovic of KPMG, Fran Pomerantz of The Pomerantz Group and Tony Winders of InterActive Agency (iAgency). VIC's monthly electronic community newsletter, VIC/e, and its Web site are dedicated to empowering VIC members and the industry with information about the evolving digital media industry in Los Angeles.

Webgrrls LA
http://www.webgrrls-la.com

Webgrrls L.A. is the Los Angeles chapter of Webgrrls International, a real-world, face-to-face networking group for women in and interested in New Media. The L.A. chapter currently includes all Southern California Webgrrls residing in the following counties: Ventura, San Bernadino, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange. You can participate in several Special Interest Groups (SIGs) defined by regional areas and special interests. Webgrrls L.A. is a diverse group of women from every background and skill level. You'll find web novices and seasoned professionals, hard-nosed coders and creative designers and everything in between. If you're looking to network, Webgrrls L.A. is the place for you. If you're hoping to find employment or just test the waters, you'll find plenty of leads and resources. If you're just looking for a community of savvy individuals eager to discuss the latest in new media, what are you waiting for?

Women In Film
http://www.wif.org

Women In Film is a professional organization founded in Los Angeles in 1973 with the commitment to recognize, develop, and actively promote the unique visions of women in the global communications industry.

Women In New Technologies - WINT

Women In New Technologies is a group designed to foster support and education for women actively working in new technology fields.