Live from Media Summit II

Thursday's sessions at the Media Summit concentrated on security issues and strategies for protecting digital content in a P2P environment. Most of the speakers sounded a little unrealistic to me: I think users are always going to find a way around the restrictions and lock-box apps producers build into a program. The Internet started on the premise that content was meant to be free, and online news sites have figured out an equation that works for users and producers -- despite years of saying it wasn't possible.

The most interesting session Thursday was about gaming -- not just Grand Theft Auto and SimsUniversity, but about using simulation to present complex content. Gaming is the fastest-growing niche in the media industry, and producers across content types were eager to talk about how they can incorporate its interactivity and high-end design into their own products. As we look ahead to developing our own interactive/digital media program in the Park School, gaming and its constructs will inevitably be central to our discussions.