Diversity Week

NAMIC kicks off cable’s busy week in NYC Sun with the start of its annual conference. New to the conference is a TV writer’s workshop on Mon as well as digital and ad sales tracks. Attendance was tracking at 600+ earlier this month. NAMIC pres Kathy Johnson stressed that the content at the 21st annual confab is relevant to everyone. “It’s not for some ‘other’ audience,” as some execs seem to believe, she said. Said Turner vp, multicultural market development Sandra Murillo Weber, who is one of the conference’s planning committee co-chairs: “All decision makers should be looking at the marketplace” to address the changing demographics. — CTAM NY kicks off Wed morning with its annual breakfast. This year’s event explores whether broadband video is cable’s next big opportunity, and includes Comcast’s Matt Strauss and Cox’s Dallas Clement. — At noon Wed, WICT NY’s sold- out lunch looks at the digital disruption in the media landscape with a panel featuring Scripps’ Beth Higbee, Quantum Media’s Erica Gruen, Visible World’s Tara Walpert and Comcast Interactive Media’s Elizabeth Schimel. — The week wraps up with the annual Walter Kaitz Foundation fundraising dinner Wed night. ESPN and Rep Edolphus Towns (D-NY) will be honored for their diversity efforts. Tennis star Serena Williams was confirmed Fri to present ESPN with the Diversity Champion award. Martin Luther King III will present the honor to Towns.