In February AOL joined forces with Digitas, Hulu, MSN, Yahoo! and YouTube to bring the first-ever Digital Content NewFronts (DCNFs) to the market. The day has come for AOL to show the market the quality and depth of our offerings, and the level of differentiation we bring to advertisers.

Today, we bring together AOL's clients with leading content creators, distributors and talent in a unique environment that showcases all that we have to offer. Our program focus: Powering Brands through Ideas and Content.

We've seen – from our consumer and advertiser insights – that premium content powers the differentiation that brands are looking for to reach and engage with consumers. AOL powers content and brands through its well-known media properties, including Autoblog, TechCrunch, Moviefone, Engadget, The Huffington Post, Stylelist, MapQuest and Patch. As a part of this, we are deeply committed to original programming and understand the importance of creating a meaningful marketplace for brands with digital content. Given our range of branded, premium, social and video-centric programming, we continue to deliver interesting and valuable experiences to users -which is what advertisers want and need.

This afternoon at the Highline Stages in NYC, AOL will bring together 450 brand advertisers, marketers, agencies and digital and TV media buyers to announce AOL's new slate of video programming, promote original programming producers and casts, unveil a new product and showcase the power and reach of the AOL brand.

I'll be keynoting the event, and program speakers and panels will include:

  • Brand Solutions with AOL's Jim Norton, Head of Sales & Janet Balis, Head of Sales Strategy, Marketing and Partnerships

  • Mega-Trends with AOL's Ned Brody, Chief Revenue Officer

  • Behind Our Content with Jim Stengel, CEO of Jim Stengel Co. and former Global Marketing Officer for P&G (moderator):
    • Michael Hogan, Moviefone
    • Christina Norman, HuffPost BlackVoices
    • David Kiley, AOL Autos
    • Tim Stevens, AOL Tech
    • Susan Kaplow, HuffPost Women

  • Main Stage with Ran Harnevo, Head of AOL Video

We'll also have on stage with us incredibly talented fashion & style influencers like Nina Garcia, Rachel Roy and Erin Fetherston; Michael Eisner, an icon in the American entertainment industry, and Larry Tanz, CEO, Vuguru, as well as the cast of a new web series: Julie Warner, Kristy Swanson, Amy Yasbeck, and Romy Rosemont; and Amy Harris, best known for Sex and the City, will participate in the event experience. And there could be more surprises ...

We are thrilled to be a part of this inaugural event and look forward to many Digital Content NewFronts to come.