Dr. Joan Van Tassel is an associate with Technology Futures, Inc. and a consultant with the Malibu-based consulting firm, Working Knowledge. She writes a biweekly column, TeleVistas, for Coopers & Lybrand’s news and information service for telecom professionals-Telecommunications Insider-via PointCast® (available online at http://www.clnewsnet.com/telecom.html). Additionally, Joan is the author of Advanced Television Systems: Brave New TV (Focal Press, 1996), and she writes for The Hollywood Reporter, WiReD, and other publications on the emerging communications infrastructure. She has also written for a variety of nonprofit public information campaigns, including the “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign. As a documentary filmmaker, she received the prestigious Kenny Rogers Media Award, an Emmy nomination, and many public service campaign awards. Joan received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California.