Leonardo Chiariglione to Keynote NAB 2003 Broadcast Engineering Conference

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Leonardo Chiariglione, vice president ofMultimedia for the Research Centre of Telecom Italia Group (TelecomItalia Lab) will provide the opening keynote for the NAB 2003 BroadcastEngineering Conference, April 6 in Las Vegas.

Chiariglione is best known for his work on the creation of theMoving Picture Experts Group which developed the standards for what isnow used to create digital and audio video for the Web, digitaltelevision, mp3s, DVDs and other multimedia technology. As the head ofthat group from its formation in 1988 to the present, he hasspearheaded the development of the MPEG-1, -2, -4, and -7 standards,and is currently working on the MPEG-21 "Multimedia Framework."

Chiariglione will address the current struggle between contentcreators, distributors and users, and how that conflict is holding backthe full exploitation of the business opportunities offered by digitaltechnologies. He will expand on his solutions to creating a greaterequilibrium between the parties by identifying what civil liberties andbusiness aspects need to be preserved, allowing technology to providethe answers and legislation to fill in the gaps.

An Italian engineer, Chiariglione has been with the Research Centreof Telecom Italia Group since 1971. During his career he has led anumber of efforts aimed at furthering innovation in information andcommunication technology. These efforts include the HDTV Workshop, aninternational event to promote HDTV technologies beyond specificindustry interests; ISO Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) standardscommittee; the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) which sought todevelop specifications for secure digital music delivery; ImageCommunications, a journal about image communication; the DigitalAudio-Visual Council (DAVIC) to develop international specificationsfor the delivery of digital media; the Foundation for IntelligentPhysical Agents (FIPA) to develop international specifications ofgeneric agent technologies; and the Open Platform Initiative forMultimedia Access (OPIMA) to develop international specifications forpay-for-play services.

Leonardo Chiariglione was born in Almese (Turin), Italy. Hegraduated in electronic engineering from the Polytechnic of Turin andobtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Tokyo in 1973.

NAB 2003 takes place April 5-10 in Las Vegas (exhibits open April7). It is the world's largest electronic media show covering thedevelopment, delivery and management of professional video and audiocontent across all mediums. Complete NAB 2003 details are available atwww.nab.org/conventions/nab2003.

The National Association of Broadcasters is a full-service tradeassociation that promotes and protects free, over-the-air local radioand television stations' interests in Washington and around the world.NAB is the broadcaster's voice before Congress, federal agencies andthe courts. NAB also serves a growing number of associate andinternational broadcaster members. Information about NAB can be foundat www.nab.org.