Media Outlook

Media and technology executives, looking for ways to ease the strain of programming costs and to profit from the emerging business of electronic commerce, are gathering in New York this week to swap views on the industry at a conference sponsored by New York investment bank Schroder & Co. and the trade paper Variety. An appearance today by Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates will be a highlight of the conference at the Plaza Hotel. He’ll answer questions posed by David Frost in a 45-minute interview. Time Warner Inc. Chairman Gerald Levin, CBS Corp. Chief Executive Mel Karmazin, NBC Chief Executive Robert Wright and other media executives will also speak today.