There has been a lot of talk lately about portals losing audience and the danger of publishers trading their online inventory like "pork bellies." In a three-hour session of panel discussions, matching publishers and technology companies, we will examine the role of vertical networks and exchanges in building brands and delivering competitive CPMs. Participants to date include:

Ken Sonenclar, Managing Director, DeSilva & Phillips, will offer a business and M&A overview of the ad network and exchange marketplace.

Shanthi Sarkar, Senior Vice President of Product Development & Operations, ContextWeb, which has aggregated thousands of sites and offers the online advertising exchange ADSDAQ which permits publishers page-specific ad targeting and better positioning on more appropriate sites. This Exchange enables publishers to optimize the value of their inventory and avoid commoditization. We will also hear from Paul DeBraccio, CEO of Interevco-Interactive Revenue.com, that helps marketers find users interested in health content on brand sites such as AARP, Prevention and Guideposts. Scott Havens of Portfolio.com will give his insight on solutions that can increase your brand's reach while retaining pricing/content control.

Joelle Gropper Kaufman, Vice President Adify, will examine how online publishers can build their own networks to aggregate high-quality, brand driven content. The company has worked with ComputerWorld, Forbes, and The Guardian to extend these brands online. Kevin Normandeau, Vice President Business Development, IDG TechNetwork and Prem Luthra, SVP, Corporate Development and Strategy, Fidelity National Real Estate Solution and Cyberhomes Media Group.com, will also participate.

Robert Ames, Vice President & General Manager, Digital Automotive Group, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc. will speak about Jumpstart Media which Hachette acquired about a year ago as much more than a advertising and content network. David Cooperstein, Chief Marketing Officer, Burst Media will offer strategies for publishers who want to make it easy to build mobile versions of their sites, and benefit from mobile advertising. And Regina Sebring, Vice President, Behavioral Targeting Solutions, Revenue Science and partner publishers will talk about behavioral targeting and brand building.

We'll also hear an agency and clients view of ad networks from Jay Bartlett, Sr. Advertising Manager at Xerox Corporation, Jay Krihak, Sr Partner, Group Director, MEC Interaction, Mediaedge:cia and Dave Marsey, VP/Group Media Director at Digitas moderated by Mike Smith, General Manager, Forbes.com.