Press Release

Experts to Discuss the Digital Millennium Copryright Act At Seybold San Francisco 2001

One-day Summit and Hot Technology Days to Focus on How the Digital Copyright Law Impacts the Publishing Industry

September 6, 2001

Key3Media Group, Inc. today announced a new digital rights session has been added to Seybold San Francisco's 2001 Seybold Summit on Wednesday, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., September 26 at the Moscone Center. The conference track entitled "Steal This Session: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act Great Debate," examines the hotly contested issues surrounding the controversy of this newly created law. The Summit is open to all Seybold San Francisco attendees.

In addition to legal and social issues, the debate also looks at important business decisions facing publishers today, according to Mark Walter, a senior analyst who tracks the digital rights management market for Seybold Publications. "The Digital Millennium Copyright Act was supposed to foster e-commerce for digital content. But something will have to change if consumers continue to reject the type of technology the law was designed to protect," said Walter.

"Our industry exists on the premise that intellectual property has value, both as pure content and as formatted, manufactured products," said Gene Gable, president, Seybold Seminars and Publications. "We continually struggle to reach the balance between reasonable protection and ease of customer use. Clearly right now there is great debate on exactly how that balance should be achieved."

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) created in 1998 to bring copyright law into the digital-age has recently come under fire. The arrest of Dmitry Sklyarov this past July has rekindled criticism that the DMCA exceeds protecting owners of copyright against piracy. In an open forum discussion, experts will discuss if the DMCA is too harsh, whether its exceptions are sufficient, and whether it strikes the right balance between commercial publishers and individuals.

Participating as experts on the "Steal this Session" panel discussion include:

  • Allan Adler, vice president government and legal affairs, Association of American Publishers
  • Jim Griffin, chief executive OneHouse; former chief technology officer for Geffen Records; a leading consultant to the technology and entertainment industries on intellectual property and rights management
  • Robin Gross, Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation; an expert on intellectual property issues and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
  • Bill Rosenblatt, president, GiantStep Media Technologies Strategies; a leading expert on digital rights management technology

Seybold San Francisco 2001, September 24-28, 2001 is the one of the largest gathering of creative professionals in the world. In addition to the Seybold Summit, the DMCA controversy will also be addressed in during Digital Rights Management Day, e-Book and e-Content Day. For a full list of educational programs offered at Seybold San Francisco 2001, please visit seyboldseminars.com. To register as an analyst/journalist, please visit http://www.key3media.com/seyboldseminars/
sf2001/media/registration.shtml or contact Dervla O'Reilly at dervla.o'reilly@key3media.com. To interview a Seybold Seminars editor or executive, please contact Stacye Montez at stacye.montez@key3media.com.

About Seybold Seminars

Seybold Seminars is the leading brand educating the publishing, graphic arts, Web, entertainment and general business industries on how to implement technology for effective and profitable content creation, management and delivery. With a 30-year history focused on top-notch education, in-depth technology discussion and marketplace analysis, Seybold Seminars has become the premier gathering place for buyers, sellers and strategists who share the common goal of effective and profitable communications across multiple media. Focusing on the common challenges of print, Web, video and other forms of media technology, Seybold Seminars highlights the latest in graphic arts production tools, design and information architecture strategies, digital rights and asset management, marketing personalization and on-demand publishing opportunities.

About Key3Media

Seybold Seminars is a Key3Media event. Certain matters discussed in this release are "forward-looking statements," including statements about Key3Media's future results, plans and goals and other events which have not yet occurred. These statements are to qualify for the safe harbors from liability provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can find many (but not all) of these statements by looking for words like "will," "may," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans" and "estimates" and for similar expressions. Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are many factors that could cause Key3Media's actual results to differ, materially from those expressed or implied in this release. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions generally and in the information technology industry in particular; the timing of Key3Media's events and their popularity with exhibitors, sponsors and attendees; technological changes and developments; intellectual property rights; competition; capital expenditures; and factors impacting Key3Media's international operations. In addition, the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" the Prospectus Supplement dated June 22, 2001 that was filed by Key3Media with the SEC under Rule 424(b) relating to its and the section entitled "Item 1. Business -- Certain Factors That May Affect our Business" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2001 was by Key3Media with the SEC contain important cautionary statements and a discussion of many of the factors that could materially affect the accuracy of Key3Media's forward-looking statements and/or adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial position. These statements and discussions are incorporated herein by reference. Key3Media does not plan to update any forward-looking statements.