Sound Bites--and Barks--From UCLA Multimedia Conference

The information superhighway summit conference sponsored by the Academy of TV Arts & Science earlier this week at UCLA brought together 30 of the top people in the communications and entertainment industries to brainstorm for a day about the 500-channel, multimedia future.

The only consensus from the summit was that there is no consensus about what the future holds, except that the electronic superhighway, with the viewer-user clicking away at a hybrid TV set-computer-telephone, will provide a wealth of services.

But if there was no agreement about what it all means or how the industry will develop, at least there were some sharp insights and rejoinders, a sampling of which are offered below.

Most tortured use of superhighway metaphors:

“These are 30 of the smartest people . . . riverboat gamblers on the information superhighway.”

--Rich Frank, president, Walt Disney Studios, introducing the all-star lineup of communications executives.

“The ability to create this highway is the easy part . . . but there will be some road kill as we determine what consumers want.”

--Richard C. Notebaert, president, Ameritech

Superhighway retailing concept most likely to appeal to Al Bundy:

“I’ve always said buying underwear in your underwear is tough to beat as a concept.”

--Barry Diller, chairman, QVC (home shopping) Network Inc.

Sharpest rejoinder to superhighway builders:

“I’d like to start a news channel that competes with CNN, but (Time Warner Chairman) Gerald Levin and (Tele-Communications Inc. Chief Executive) John C. Malone won’t give me the time of day.”

--Rupert Murdoch, chief executive, News Corp.

Sharpest rejoinder to those who would regulate the superhighway:

CNN anchor Bernard Shaw: “Is the only good regulator a dead regulator?”

Rupert Murdoch: “Dead. Yes, dead.”

Most populist takes on the superhighway:

“This is not about the right to play video games. It’s about guaranteeing the right to essential services.”

--Al Gore, vice president

“A bigger question is: Will the neighborhood still be there when the highway arrives?

--Robert Johnson, president, Black Entertainment Television

Most self-interested superhighway comment:

“Clearly, there is no fear up here.”

--Ray Smith, chief executive, Bell Atlantic Corp., during CEOs forum

Second-most self-interested superhighway comment:

“This is no field of dreams. It’s not ‘build it and they will come.’ The bulk of the revenues to support this infrastructure is already built today.” --John C. Malone, Tele-Communications Inc.

Third-most self-interested superhighway comment:

“The story is first, second, third. Making sure someone sees the story is fourth, fifth, sixth.”

--Michael D. Eisner, Walt Disney Co. chairman, who is not in the technology business.