With just over 100 days before SXSW 2011, cue the deluge of announcements. The first bands were announced: Interactive confirmedThe Guild co-creator Felicia Day and 4chan founder Christopher “moot” Poole as keynote speakers and added SXSWedu. Now, with the late film submission deadline intwo days, SXSW has announced a two-dayTechnology Summit.

The two-day event kicks off the day after the Interactive festival finishes on March. 15. While the final programming and location are still being determined, one thing is set: This new event will be open to anyone with any level of SXSW badge. SXSW Interactive press officer Kelly Krause said, “It’s not really a part of Interactive. It’s a convergence of Interactive, Film and Music.”

Here’s the press release from SXSW:

We’re always excited to bring you new content, and this year is no exception. We’re especially thrilled to announce the new SXSW Technology Summit, open to all registered SXSW badgeholders, happening during the beginning of SXSW Music week.Scheduled March 16 and March 17, the first-ever SXSW Technology Summit will bring together industry leaders from a variety of European, Asian, Middle-Eastern and South American countries for panel sessions that reveal trends and usage patterns in various parts of the world. The SXSW Technology Summit will also offer a series of in-depth workshops that provide higher-level tips and analysis, allowing digital professionals and web experts from across the globe to take their career to the next level.

SXSW Interactive has already announced its sessions by theme, as well as its list of keynote speakers. Expect another big programing announcement on Dec. 13.

Source: The Austin Chronicle

Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Craig Bierko (Damages), Shannen Doherty(Charmed), Illeana Douglas (Entourage), Brian Austin Green (Desperate Housewives),Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13) and Jaime Murray (Dexter) are among the Hollywood names that will star in Suite 7, to help you sleep better in a seven-episode comedic drama set inside one hotel suite premieres December 17th on MyLifetime.com

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — The Better Sleep Council (http://www.bettersleep.org), the consumer education arm of the International Sleep Products Association, today announced Suite 7 (http://www.suite7.tv), its seven-episode anthology web series created to heighten consumer awareness of the important role proper sleep plays in overall health and well-being, will premiere December 17th. Suite 7 will be distributed online by MyLifetime.com and will be available for stream or download across multiple online, mobile and video-on-demand channels.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101129/NY08704 )

Each week a new couple —newlyweds, divorcing, best friends, business partners, actors, co-workers and total strangers—checks in to “Suite 7″ and unpack their personal baggage.

To give each episode a distinct style and voice, the BSC has enlisted a diverse roster of film, television, stage and web talent to write and/or direct each of the anthology’s seven episodes. These include Craig Bierko (Damages), Wilson Cleveland (The Temp Life), Shannen Doherty (Charmed), Illeana Douglas (Entourage), Mark Gantt (The Bannen Way), Tony Janning & Sandeep Parikh (The Legend of Neil), Michael Kang (Easy to Assemble), Susan Miller (The L Word, Anyone But Me) and Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes).

Bierko, Cleveland, Doherty, Douglas, Janning and Ventimiglia also appear onscreen along with a cast that includes Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills 90210), Henry Dittman (Greek), George Newbern (Nip/Tuck), Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13), Brandon Molale (Reno 911!), Jaime Murray (Dexter), Tara Perry (The Legend of Neil) and Alexi Wasser (Boy Crazy).

“The Better Sleep Council is leveraging the dramatic growth in branded entertainment and social media to deliver our positive messages of the benefits of a good night’s sleep more efficiently and effectively,” said BSC Chairman Jimmy Orders, president of Greenville, S.C.-based mattress producer Park Place Corp. “The world is changing faster and faster—and BSC will be part of that change. Suite 7 will reach a much broader spectrum of people than we’ve ever been able to reach before. It’s the most exciting program the Better Sleep Council has ever launched.”

“Delivering your message through this type of branded entertainment has proven to be more effective than traditional delivery methods. Our industry has an incredible story to tell and this is a great way to tell it,” added BSC Vice Chairman, Mark Quinn.

Suite 7 was developed in collaboration with BSC’s marketing/PR agency partner CJP Communications and is being produced through its CJP Digital Media (http://cjpdigital.com) branded entertainment practice.

About The Better Sleep Council

The Better Sleep Council is the consumer education arm of the International Sleep Products Association, the trade association for the mattress industry. With a quarter of a century invested in improving America’s quality of sleep, BSC educates consumers on the critical link between sleep and health, as well as the role of the sleep environment, primarily through an informative consumer Web site www.bettersleep.org, partner support and proactive consumer media outreach.

About CJP Digital Media

CJP Digital Media (http://cjpdigital.com) produces, distributes, packages and promotes original entertainment programming to amplify a company’s story across media channels and devices. As a unit of PR/marketing agency CJP Communications, CJP Digital takes an earned media approach to branded entertainment, creating properties audiences that are key to our clients’ success will watch. CJP created The Temp Life, the web’s first branded series, for Spherion Staffing Services in 2006. CJP’s unique, fan blog-centric approach to distribution for Illeana Douglas’ IKEA-sponsored web comedy Easy to Assemble led Advertising Age to proclaim it the most-watched branded web show ever and in April, CJP worked with Trident Layers™ to create and produce The Webventures of Justin & Alden, the first original web series developed for Cadbury USA.

SOURCE The Better Sleep Council

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” - W. T. Purkiser

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Weekly podcast dedicated to independent internet television and original for the web content. Join host Destini and guests as they discuss what’s hot and streaming in the world of online entertainment. This week we’ll discuss our opinions on shows, pick our weekly favs, make some recommendations and then count on you to steer conversation when we open the phones.

Today’s episode we’ve got lots to talk about including a bit of primetime tv, all your favorite web series and lovely discussions with the beautiful Cooper Harris of Squatters the Series.

Weekly podcast dedicated to independent internet television and original for the web content. Join host Destini and guests as they discuss what’s hot and streaming in the world of online entertainment. This week we’ll discuss our opinions on shows, pick our weekly favs, make some recommendations and then count on you to steer conversation when we open the phones.  Today’s episode we’ll be talking with Darren Strauss of Downsized the Series.