As outgoing CTAM Chairman, I admit I’ve really enjoyed leading this amazing organization for two years. I am very proud of CTAM. I’m proud because of all that we have accomplished. And I am appreciative of the volunteers and dedicated staff that made it possible.

The first thing you should know is that this organization reinvented itself. Not too long ago, CTAM’s revenue was tied to the CTAM Summit and individual membership dues, requiring members to attend the Summit, enter Mark Awards, receive Pulse research and appear in the Member Directory.

Today CTAM is multi-faceted. One-third of revenues come from traditional, individual membership dues, one-third from MSO, programmer and supplier corporate dues, which support initiatives such as the On Demand Consortium, and one-third from the MSO Co-op, which supports Mover initiatives and cooperative marketing efforts. This diversification was a successful strategy, allowing CTAM to remain strong in a down economy, relevant as the industry deals with competition, and solid when stand-alone conferences were consolidated into more efficient fall and spring weeks.

Collaborating for Success

Char and the CTAM team have an uncanny ability to "herd cats" and get people together for the common good. A great example is an enhancement to the Mover Initiative we worked on for two years. When 99% of U.S. residents move, they fill out a change of address form for the post office. Through a special program, the U.S. Postal Service allows service providers to market to these movers. Previously, telcos and satellite providers had the advantage in participating, and cable was largely left out. Through CTAM, we worked together and won a collective bid to be represented in all markets for video. In some markets, we were even able to get triple-play representation. This is a perfect example of how CTAM helps the MSOs be more effective working together than alone.

In addition, the Cable Mover Hotline continues to make strides. The Hotline began in 2001 as a partnership between the MSOs, CableLabs and CTAM, and continued to perform well even in a volatile housing market. We’ve increased the focus with a CSR Awareness Webcast, produced by HGTV, which received almost 500 viewings. CTAM educated 40,000 CSRs, and PR efforts garnered 113 million earned media impressions—all worthwhile results, as the Cable Movers Hotline has handled millions of calls over the years.

The Jewels in the Crown—CTAM Chapters

CTAM Chapters are another key to success. In fact, I selected the Chapters as the 2008 recipients of the Chairman’s Award. This award honors extraordinary contributions to CTAM and the cable business as a whole—and the chapter volunteer leaders are being honored for their exceptional efforts to take their organizations to the next level.

There are a total of 15 CTAM Chapters, with 12 in the continental U.S. and one each in the Caribbean, Europe and Canada. They offer members local seminars, informational programs, fundraising events and networking opportunities. In 2007, they produced 84 events attended by 6,836 members. These programs engage and educate members about the industry and marketing, and today chapter member satisfaction ratings are at an all-time high.

I know it’s a bit unorthodox choosing the Chapters over an individual, but these leaders extend the impact of CTAM well beyond what we would otherwise reach. They richly deserve this recognition.

The Chairman’s Award will be presented at the Summit on November 11 during the closing General Session at 12:15 pm.

See you at there!

(Joe Rooney is Cox Communications’ Chief Marketing Officer and outgoing CTAM Chairman).

The Daily

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