Douglas Lowenstein
Encyclopedia
Douglas Lowenstein is the founder and former President of the Entertainment Software Association
(ESA). He resigned on February 12, 2007 to head up the newly formed Private Equity Council
.
Doug started his career as a reporter for The Buffalo Courier Express from 1973-74. He was awarded the Buffalo newspaper Guild's Rookie of the Year award in 1974. He moved to Washington, DC in 1974 to take a position as a reporter for the Capitol Hill News Service. In 1976, he joined the Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau. After six years at Cox, Lowenstein joined the Senate staff of U.S. Sen. Howard M Metzenbaum, Democrat of Ohio. He served the last two years of his five year stint on the Hill as Metzenbaum's Legislative Director.
Doug became the first president
of the ESA, then called the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA), in June 1994. Creator and owner of the E3 Tradeshow, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, the ESA is the only association exclusively dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish video and computer games, for video game console
s, personal computer
s, and the Internet. As president, Lowenstein was responsible for the association's operations and for sector-wide initiatives that affect the nation's fastest growing entertainment industry.
Doug worked cooperatively with parallel industry trade association
s including the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) and Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association
(IEMA) to defeat hundreds of anti-games legislation across the United States. He was the industry's go-to person in Washington, D.C.
on all legislative matters ranging from piracy to censorship
and was frequently called upon as the trade's spokesperson, representing the software publisher
's perspective.
Lowenstein was a very public figure in his service of the games business - along with Patricia Vance
, ESRB head and Hal Halpin
, IEMA boss - and as such had both his supporters and detractors in the industry and media. Critics were vocal about his passivity with regard to anti-games advocates, most notably Jack Thompson
, who repeatedly attacked Lowenstein personally and professionally, even going so far as to liken him to "Hitler". Doug did however, deliver a very pointed speech in his final days in the job which drew the ire of many in the interactive entertainment
business.
Prior to joining the staff of the ESA, Lowenstein was an Executive Vice President in the Washington, D.C.
and New York
strategic communications firm Robinson Lake Sawyer Miller, Inc. From 1986 to 1991, Lowenstein was a principal in National Strategies, Inc., a Washington, D.C. public policy consulting firm. In 1982, he began a five year-stint in the office of U.S. Sen.
Howard Metzenbaum
(D-
Ohio
), including two as Legislative Director. From 1976 to 1982, Lowenstein was a Washington, D.C. correspondent
in the Cox Newspapers Washington bureau. Lowenstein is also the author of "Lowenstein:Acts of Courage and Belief" about his late uncle, political and civil rights activist and former Congressman
Allard Lowenstein.
Entertainment Software Association
The Entertainment Software Association is the trade association of the video game industry in the United States. It was formed in April 1994 as the Interactive Digital Software Association and renamed on July 16, 2003...
(ESA). He resigned on February 12, 2007 to head up the newly formed Private Equity Council
Private Equity Council
The Private Equity Growth Capital Council , formerly the Private Equity Council, is the lobbying, advocacy and research organization for the private equity industry. The PEC was founded by a consortium of the largest private equity firms globally...
.
Doug started his career as a reporter for The Buffalo Courier Express from 1973-74. He was awarded the Buffalo newspaper Guild's Rookie of the Year award in 1974. He moved to Washington, DC in 1974 to take a position as a reporter for the Capitol Hill News Service. In 1976, he joined the Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau. After six years at Cox, Lowenstein joined the Senate staff of U.S. Sen. Howard M Metzenbaum, Democrat of Ohio. He served the last two years of his five year stint on the Hill as Metzenbaum's Legislative Director.
Doug became the first president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the ESA, then called the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA), in June 1994. Creator and owner of the E3 Tradeshow, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, the ESA is the only association exclusively dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish video and computer games, for video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
s, personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s, and the Internet. As president, Lowenstein was responsible for the association's operations and for sector-wide initiatives that affect the nation's fastest growing entertainment industry.
Doug worked cooperatively with parallel industry trade association
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
s including the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) and Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association
Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association
The Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association was a United States-based non-profit organization dedicated to serving the business interests of leading retailers that sell Interactive entertainment software...
(IEMA) to defeat hundreds of anti-games legislation across the United States. He was the industry's go-to person in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on all legislative matters ranging from piracy to censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
and was frequently called upon as the trade's spokesperson, representing the software publisher
Software publisher
A software publisher is a publishing company in the software industry between the developer and the distributor. In some companies, two or all three of these roles may be combined ....
's perspective.
Lowenstein was a very public figure in his service of the games business - along with Patricia Vance
Patricia Vance
Patricia Vance was appointed the third president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board in November 2002, replacing interim president, Marc Szafran. Vance is responsible for overseeing and enforcing the computer and video game industry's self-regulatory practices...
, ESRB head and Hal Halpin
Hal Halpin
Hal Halpin is an American computer game executive and entrepreneur, and is the president and founder of the Entertainment Consumers Association .- Background :...
, IEMA boss - and as such had both his supporters and detractors in the industry and media. Critics were vocal about his passivity with regard to anti-games advocates, most notably Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson (attorney)
John Bruce "Jack" Thompson is an American activist and disbarred attorney, based in Coral Gables, Florida. Thompson is known for his role as an anti-video-game activist, particularly against violence and sex in video games....
, who repeatedly attacked Lowenstein personally and professionally, even going so far as to liken him to "Hitler". Doug did however, deliver a very pointed speech in his final days in the job which drew the ire of many in the interactive entertainment
Interactive entertainment
The phrase interactive entertainment also known as video games refers to the business of producing and distributing products and services, or the products and services, of which the entertainment value can be influenced by users through direct feedback.-Origins:Although Hal Halpin claims credit...
business.
Prior to joining the staff of the ESA, Lowenstein was an Executive Vice President in the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
strategic communications firm Robinson Lake Sawyer Miller, Inc. From 1986 to 1991, Lowenstein was a principal in National Strategies, Inc., a Washington, D.C. public policy consulting firm. In 1982, he began a five year-stint in the office of U.S. Sen.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Howard Metzenbaum
Howard Metzenbaum
Howard Morton Metzenbaum was an American politician who served for almost 20 years as a Democratic member of the U.S. Senate from Ohio . He also served in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate from 1943 to 1951.-Early life:Metzenbaum was born in Cleveland, to a poor Jewish family, the son...
(D-
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
), including two as Legislative Director. From 1976 to 1982, Lowenstein was a Washington, D.C. correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
in the Cox Newspapers Washington bureau. Lowenstein is also the author of "Lowenstein:Acts of Courage and Belief" about his late uncle, political and civil rights activist and former Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Allard Lowenstein.
Further reading
- ESA Pres Addresses E3, ESRB and Health of the Industry by James Brightman, GameDily BIZ, 2006-10-10
- D.I.C.E.: Lowenstein Ends ESA Career With A Bang Gamasutra, 2007-02-08
- The Political Game: Doug Lowenstein shoots the messenger by Dennis McCauley, joystiq, 2007-02-12
- Q&A: ESA president in the E3 hot seat by Brendan Sinclair and Tor Thorsen, GameSpot, 2006-07-31