One of Cable's Best-Kept Secrets

In traveling around the country in recent months, I’m continually asked, "What’s happening at The Cable Center?" And I’m always happy to answer, "A lot more than you might think." The Center is implementing a new strategic plan with focus on three areas: Programs & Education, Information Services, and the Hall of Fame & Exhibits. I’m going to focus on the Programs & Education area, as it has developed into an array of valuable programs that benefit the industry, the educational community and the public. Here’s a glimpse of some of the initiatives in progress: One of our newest programs is the Cox Customer Experience Initiative that we are developing in conjunction with the Cox Foundation, Cox Communications, and the Daniels College of Business at The University of Denver. This fully-funded $2 million initiative will allow us to appoint an endowed chair at the university and develop coursework around an MBA concentration in an area vital to our industry-customer care. We will encourage students graduating from the program to consider a career in the cable telecommunications industry. Our Mavericks Lecture series has been an overwhelming success at college campuses across the country, from NYU to UCLA. Students and faculty are introduced to our industry by hearing from leaders who share their insights about running a business in a rapidly changing environment. These thought-provoking lectures stimulate students and faculty alike and challenge a new generation to think about issues that will confront them in the 21st Century. The annual Cable Center Academic Seminar at National Show provides the higher education community from the United States and around the world the opportunity to interact with key industry leaders to discuss vital issues related to cable. NCTA provides a legislative and regulatory update. There is no better venue for the academic community to find accurate information about our industry than at this event. It is essential that cable’s facts and perspectives are conveyed to this important constituency. The first annual Summit on Intellectual Property and Digital Media is scheduled for May 22-23 in Denver. The Summit, co-sponsored by the University of Denver’s Sturm Law School, will explore issues surrounding intellectual property rights and digital content and distribution in a world where the technology is evolving at warp speed. The prestigious panels will explore issues relevant to cable and will include leading speakers from other industries who have been confronted with difficult decisions. The Cable Center/C-SPAN distance learning class is in its fifth year and highlights the fact that cable technology can alter the constraints of time and location. The instructor at the C-SPAN studios in Washington DC allows students in multiple geographically diverse locations to ask direct questions of high-ranking decision-makers operating in today’s politically complicated world. Students in the business, communications, and political science areas are provided a unique opportunity that is perfect for the 21st Century. The Cable Center’s training group offers customized trainings and symposiums to cable telecommunications executives. Our offerings use university-level instructors who are highly experienced in the cable industry. Our distance-learning studio gives us the opportunity to provide training in multiple locations with a very compelling value proposition. The Center can maximize training dollars by bringing people together using its available technology. The not-for-profit Cable Center is an invaluable resource for information, education and expertise related to cable telecommunications operations, content, career development and historical perspective. I urge you to take full advantage. What’s happening at The Cable Center? The future-and it looks very bright. Larry Satkowiak is President and Chief Operating Officer of The Cable Center.