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The Future of Hollywood: Competition, Technology, and Policy at a Turning Point

A One-Day Conference Hosted by The Capitol Forum
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Location: The Beverly Hills Marriott at 1150 S Beverly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035

With a potential streaming mega-merger on the horizon and unprecedented technological and regulatory pressure reshaping creative markets, the future of Hollywood is at a critical inflection point.

The Future of Hollywood conference, hosted by The Capitol Forum, will convene current and former federal and state antitrust enforcers, policymakers, industry executives, labor representatives, economists, and legal experts for a rigorous, full-day examination of consolidation, platform power, and innovation across the entertainment ecosystem.

As streaming platforms mature, legacy studios recalibrate, and artificial intelligence reshapes content creation, policymakers face mounting questions about competition, labor markets, creative rights, and the long-term sustainability of film and television. This program will explore what regulators can—and should—do to foster a competitive, innovative, and durable entertainment industry.

Why This Conference Matters

Entertainment markets sit at the intersection of antitrust enforcement, technology policy, labor regulation, and intellectual property law. Decisions made over the next year—by regulators, courts, and corporate boards—will shape not only who controls distribution and production, but also how creators are compensated, how content is licensed, and whether competition meaningfully survives in a platform-dominated era.

Key Topics of Discussion

  • The competitive and regulatory outlook for major streaming and studio consolidation

  • The implications of artificial intelligence for copyright, content creation, and enforcement

  • The impact of technology platform dominance on the entertainment ecosystem

  • Emerging competition risks posed by Big Tech and their effects on creators, distributors, and consumers

  • Policy priorities for fostering a healthy and sustainable television and film market

  • Perspectives from artists and labor organizations on consolidation and market structure

This Conference Offers Attendees

  • Early insight into how enforcers are evaluating major streaming and studio transactions

  • Policy-grounded analysis of AI’s impact on copyright, authorship, and creative labor

  • Clear-eyed discussion of platform dominance and its effects on competition and culture

  • Cross-stakeholder perspectives from government, industry, labor, and academia

Your Host Teddy Downey, The Capitol Forum

Teddy Downey – Founder, CEO & Executive Editor, The Capitol Forum; Host of The Second Request Podcast

For more than 14 years, Teddy Downey has led The Capitol Forum, guiding its growth into a leading source for investigative reporting on antitrust, trade, and regulatory policy. Named one of Washington, D.C.’s “500 Most Influential People” by Washingtonian magazine in 2024, he also hosts The Second Request podcast, where he speaks with policymakers, attorneys, and industry leaders about competition strategy and enforcement trends. Downey previously served as Senior Vice President at MF Global’s Washington Research Group and holds a B.A. from Columbia University.

Your Moderator Nate Soderstrom, The Capitol Forum

Mr. Soderstrom is a Senior Editor and General Counsel at The Capitol Forum. Previously, Mr. Soderstrom served in the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, where he held senior leadership positions including Special Counsel for Merger Analysis, Acting Deputy Director, and Associate Director for Merger Analysis.

Prior to his tenure at the FTC, Mr. Soderstrom spent nearly a decade at The Capitol Forum, where he was instrumental in establishing the company’s reputation for rigorous and high-impact antitrust coverage. Earlier in his career, Nate practiced at an international law firm, where he advised clients in antitrust matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, complex antitrust litigation, and government investigations.

Your Moderator Jeff Bliss, The Capitol Forum

Mr. Bliss co-leads the mergers and acquisitions coverage and also works on stories related to government contracts and consumer protection issues. He joined The Capitol Forum after spending four years at MLex, where he led US M&A coverage. Before that, he reported for Bloomberg on antitrust as well as Congress, the White House and national-security agencies.

Your Moderator Rebecca Kern, The Capitol Forum

Ms. Kern is a Senior Correspondent covering antitrust at The Capitol Forum. Prior to joining the publication, she spent more than 15 years as a policy and politics reporter on Capitol Hill for major news outlets. Over the past five years, she has covered tech policy for POLITICO and Bloomberg Government, where she reported on social media companies, kids’ online safety, privacy, tech firms’ liability shield, and cybersecurity.

She has a strong record of landing scoops, from breaking news on kids’ online safety legislation in Congress to obtaining exclusive text of the Biden administration’s AI executive order. She also brings government experience from her role as a public affairs officer at the Federal Trade Commission under Chair Lina Khan, where she oversaw communications on major tech enforcement cases, including the COPPA violation lawsuit against TikTok.

Your Moderator Sacha Sloan, The Capitol Forum

Mr. Sloan is a correspondent at The Capitol Forum covering antitrust policy. His reporting has appeared in The Boston Globe and Providence Business News. Before joining the team, he interned at the Brennan Center for Justice and the Council on Foreign Relations. He has a B.A. in English from Brown University, where he served as a managing editor of the College Hill Independent.

Venue & Attendance Information

This conference will be in person only.

To support meaningful discussion and engagement among speakers and attendees, The Future of Hollywood will not be livestreamed. A recorded video will be made available following the event.

We kindly ask that you register only if you are able to attend in person. If you are interested in accessing post-event video or would like to stay informed, please contact events@tcfpress.com.

Location

The conference will take place at the Beverly Hills Marriott, located at:

1150 S Beverly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035

The Beverly Hills Marriott provides a centrally located and highly accessible setting for The Future of Hollywood conference, making it an ideal venue for both Los Angeles–based attendees and those traveling in for the event. Situated near the business and entertainment hub of Century City, the hotel offers convenient access to major studios, media offices, and Westside destinations, while remaining easily reachable from LAX and key transit routes.

Map the hotel’s location here. More information is provided on their official site under the Location & Contact section here.

For parking, the hotel offers valet parking (typically at a daily fee with in/out privileges).

We hope you can join us in Los Angeles for a focused, in-person discussion at a pivotal moment for the industry.

For questions or additional information, please contact events@tcfpress.com.

Agenda

10:00–10:15 a.m. | Opening Keynote

10:15–11:15 a.m. | Panel 1
Antitrust Outlook for Streaming and Studio Consolidation
Examining the antitrust path for proposed tie-ups, including Netflix / Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount / Warner Bros. Discovery.

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Panel 2
AI, Authorship, and the Future of Creative Rights
The implications of artificial intelligence for copyright, creative labor, and licensing in film and television.

12:15–1:15 p.m. | Lunch and Keynote Address

1:15–2:15 p.m. | Panel 3
Balancing the Industry: Policy, Labor, and Sustainability
Policy priorities for a sustainable film and television market, including collective bargaining dynamics, monopsony power, and creative livelihoods.

2:15–3:15 p.m. | Panel 4
Power, Gatekeepers, and the New Studio System
Have Big Tech firms quietly replaced the old studio system? Examining platform dominance and control over distribution, data, and monetization.

3:15 p.m. | Closing Remarks

Who Should Attend

  • Antitrust and media lawyers

  • Policymakers and regulators

  • Studio and streaming executives

  • Labor and guild representatives

  • Economists, investors, and strategists

  • Journalists and academics focused on media, technology, and competition

About The Capitol Forum

The Capitol Forum’s conferences are known for convening senior policymakers, industry leaders, and experts for high-level, substantive discussions on issues of significant market and policy consequence. This program continues that tradition, offering a focused forum on the future of Hollywood at a pivotal moment for the industry.

Event Description

The Future of Hollywood: Competition, Technology, and Policy at a Turning Point

A One-Day Conference Hosted by The Capitol Forum
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Location: The Beverly Hills Marriott at 1150 S Beverly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035

With a potential streaming mega-merger on the horizon and unprecedented technological and regulatory pressure reshaping creative markets, the future of Hollywood is at a critical inflection point.

The Future of Hollywood conference, hosted by The Capitol Forum, will convene current and former federal and state antitrust enforcers, policymakers, industry executives, labor representatives, economists, and legal experts for a rigorous, full-day examination of consolidation, platform power, and innovation across the entertainment ecosystem.

As streaming platforms mature, legacy studios recalibrate, and artificial intelligence reshapes content creation, policymakers face mounting questions about competition, labor markets, creative rights, and the long-term sustainability of film and television. This program will explore what regulators can—and should—do to foster a competitive, innovative, and durable entertainment industry.

Why This Conference Matters

Entertainment markets sit at the intersection of antitrust enforcement, technology policy, labor regulation, and intellectual property law. Decisions made over the next year—by regulators, courts, and corporate boards—will shape not only who controls distribution and production, but also how creators are compensated, how content is licensed, and whether competition meaningfully survives in a platform-dominated era.

Key Topics of Discussion

  • The competitive and regulatory outlook for major streaming and studio consolidation

  • The implications of artificial intelligence for copyright, content creation, and enforcement

  • The impact of technology platform dominance on the entertainment ecosystem

  • Emerging competition risks posed by Big Tech and their effects on creators, distributors, and consumers

  • Policy priorities for fostering a healthy and sustainable television and film market

  • Perspectives from artists and labor organizations on consolidation and market structure

This Conference Offers Attendees

  • Early insight into how enforcers are evaluating major streaming and studio transactions

  • Policy-grounded analysis of AI’s impact on copyright, authorship, and creative labor

  • Clear-eyed discussion of platform dominance and its effects on competition and culture

  • Cross-stakeholder perspectives from government, industry, labor, and academia

Speaker Bios

Your Host Teddy Downey, The Capitol Forum

Teddy Downey – Founder, CEO & Executive Editor, The Capitol Forum; Host of The Second Request Podcast

For more than 14 years, Teddy Downey has led The Capitol Forum, guiding its growth into a leading source for investigative reporting on antitrust, trade, and regulatory policy. Named one of Washington, D.C.’s “500 Most Influential People” by Washingtonian magazine in 2024, he also hosts The Second Request podcast, where he speaks with policymakers, attorneys, and industry leaders about competition strategy and enforcement trends. Downey previously served as Senior Vice President at MF Global’s Washington Research Group and holds a B.A. from Columbia University.

Your Moderator Nate Soderstrom, The Capitol Forum

Mr. Soderstrom is a Senior Editor and General Counsel at The Capitol Forum. Previously, Mr. Soderstrom served in the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, where he held senior leadership positions including Special Counsel for Merger Analysis, Acting Deputy Director, and Associate Director for Merger Analysis.

Prior to his tenure at the FTC, Mr. Soderstrom spent nearly a decade at The Capitol Forum, where he was instrumental in establishing the company’s reputation for rigorous and high-impact antitrust coverage. Earlier in his career, Nate practiced at an international law firm, where he advised clients in antitrust matters relating to mergers and acquisitions, complex antitrust litigation, and government investigations.

Your Moderator Jeff Bliss, The Capitol Forum

Mr. Bliss co-leads the mergers and acquisitions coverage and also works on stories related to government contracts and consumer protection issues. He joined The Capitol Forum after spending four years at MLex, where he led US M&A coverage. Before that, he reported for Bloomberg on antitrust as well as Congress, the White House and national-security agencies.

Your Moderator Rebecca Kern, The Capitol Forum

Ms. Kern is a Senior Correspondent covering antitrust at The Capitol Forum. Prior to joining the publication, she spent more than 15 years as a policy and politics reporter on Capitol Hill for major news outlets. Over the past five years, she has covered tech policy for POLITICO and Bloomberg Government, where she reported on social media companies, kids’ online safety, privacy, tech firms’ liability shield, and cybersecurity.

She has a strong record of landing scoops, from breaking news on kids’ online safety legislation in Congress to obtaining exclusive text of the Biden administration’s AI executive order. She also brings government experience from her role as a public affairs officer at the Federal Trade Commission under Chair Lina Khan, where she oversaw communications on major tech enforcement cases, including the COPPA violation lawsuit against TikTok.

Your Moderator Sacha Sloan, The Capitol Forum

Mr. Sloan is a correspondent at The Capitol Forum covering antitrust policy. His reporting has appeared in The Boston Globe and Providence Business News. Before joining the team, he interned at the Brennan Center for Justice and the Council on Foreign Relations. He has a B.A. in English from Brown University, where he served as a managing editor of the College Hill Independent.

Venue details

Venue & Attendance Information

This conference will be in person only.

To support meaningful discussion and engagement among speakers and attendees, The Future of Hollywood will not be livestreamed. A recorded video will be made available following the event.

We kindly ask that you register only if you are able to attend in person. If you are interested in accessing post-event video or would like to stay informed, please contact events@tcfpress.com.

Location

The conference will take place at the Beverly Hills Marriott, located at:

1150 S Beverly Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035

The Beverly Hills Marriott provides a centrally located and highly accessible setting for The Future of Hollywood conference, making it an ideal venue for both Los Angeles–based attendees and those traveling in for the event. Situated near the business and entertainment hub of Century City, the hotel offers convenient access to major studios, media offices, and Westside destinations, while remaining easily reachable from LAX and key transit routes.

Map the hotel’s location here. More information is provided on their official site under the Location & Contact section here.

For parking, the hotel offers valet parking (typically at a daily fee with in/out privileges).

We hope you can join us in Los Angeles for a focused, in-person discussion at a pivotal moment for the industry.

For questions or additional information, please contact events@tcfpress.com.

Agenda

Agenda

10:00–10:15 a.m. | Opening Keynote

10:15–11:15 a.m. | Panel 1
Antitrust Outlook for Streaming and Studio Consolidation
Examining the antitrust path for proposed tie-ups, including Netflix / Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount / Warner Bros. Discovery.

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Panel 2
AI, Authorship, and the Future of Creative Rights
The implications of artificial intelligence for copyright, creative labor, and licensing in film and television.

12:15–1:15 p.m. | Lunch and Keynote Address

1:15–2:15 p.m. | Panel 3
Balancing the Industry: Policy, Labor, and Sustainability
Policy priorities for a sustainable film and television market, including collective bargaining dynamics, monopsony power, and creative livelihoods.

2:15–3:15 p.m. | Panel 4
Power, Gatekeepers, and the New Studio System
Have Big Tech firms quietly replaced the old studio system? Examining platform dominance and control over distribution, data, and monetization.

3:15 p.m. | Closing Remarks

Who Should Attend

  • Antitrust and media lawyers

  • Policymakers and regulators

  • Studio and streaming executives

  • Labor and guild representatives

  • Economists, investors, and strategists

  • Journalists and academics focused on media, technology, and competition

About The Capitol Forum

The Capitol Forum’s conferences are known for convening senior policymakers, industry leaders, and experts for high-level, substantive discussions on issues of significant market and policy consequence. This program continues that tradition, offering a focused forum on the future of Hollywood at a pivotal moment for the industry.

Register here

Fill out the following form to reserve your spot.

Thank You

Thank you for registering for this event. We look forward to seeing you soon!