Los Angeles, May 18, 2000 - The first major study of the Digital Coast region (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties) has been launched to identify and map the region's New Media industry, capturing: trends and metrics; opportunities for and obstacles to business; real estate and employment issues; job classifications; funding; infrastructure; environment and other drivers.

This research is being conducted by the Digital Coast Roundtable, with the support of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Survey.com. Since the Study's launch at Internet World by Mayor Richard Riordan, honorary chairman of the Digital Coast Roundtable, over 500 businesses have already completed the survey.

The survey can be accessed and completed online at http://www.survey.com/cgi-bin/dcrsurv.pl?part=1&pin=pdy49. Results of the Study will reside on a "living database" on the Digitalcoast.org web site and will be updated regularly.

The New Media Industry combines elements of technology and telecommunications with content design to create products and services that can be used interactively by consumers and business users. It includes the following segments: content design and development; content publishing; consulting; enabling technology/tools (hardware, software and communications); and electronic commerce.

The Study is sponsored by the City of Los Angeles, the Digital Coast Foundation, EC2 - The Annenberg Incubator Project, LAWNMOWER, larta - the technology alliance for Southern California, Riordan & McKinzie, Pacific Bell, and the SoCal Technology Calendar.

Digital Coast Roundtable

The Digital Coast Roundtable is a consortium of 80+ member companies and organizations that 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 Southern California area.

Representatives from member companies meet regularly to discuss issues and initiatives facing the local new media industry. In addition, members can participate in various committees within nine specific areas of expertise: Corporate Sponsorship; Education; Entrepreneurship; Finance; Governmental Relations; Industry Relations; Marketing - PR; Membership; and The Digital Coast Study.