NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE – Absorption and agility are two qualities imbued in most Canadian Cable Systems Alliance members.
In order to compete with the ISP and video distribution behemoths, independent cable and telecom companies have to be able to respond quickly to the needs of their communities – and take a few punches from those behemoths (and even sometimes, the Regulator).
Agility plus absorption was the theme of the Monday afternoon presentation to CCSA Connect delegates from Dr. Donald Sull, professor and author of “The Upside of Turbulence”.
Dr. Sull showed attendees at the CCSA’s annual conference and trade show how our economic times are not about to clear and stabilize. Ever. “Volatility has risen two-to-five-fold in the past 10 years,” he said.
But that doesn’t mean we should concentrate on the negative. While there will be some blows to weather, companies also have to be quick enough to recognize and seize opportunities the chaos presents. Those that can will “survive and thrive,” he said.
Monday’s second speaker was CTAM Canada’s resident researcher Gord Hendren of Charlton Research. Hendren presented some highlights of the summer 2010 research his company undertook for the marketing organization, noting that Canadians want more content on more screens. Right. Now.
“You really need to be thinking multi-screen,” he said. “The consumer is just expecting it.” That said, there are still significant opportunities on the HD, VOD and DVR sides of the business where much growth still remains.
In the evening, the CCSA presented its annual awards during dinner at the White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The member of the year award went to one of the leading, and most agile of independent operators, Compton Cable, of Port Perry, Ont.
Accepting the award from CCSA president and CEO Alyson Townsend is Compton’s GM Ed Olsen (right).
The CCSA also presents an annual supplier of the year award and the 2010 winner was Clearcable Networks. Accepting for Clearcable was company founder Rob McCann (right). Both photos courtesy the CCSA.
Below are a number of photos from the first two days of Connect, shot by Cartt.ca editor and publisher Greg O’Brien, from the Sunday evening president’s reception and the popular Click trade show held Monday morning and afternoon.
The CRTC’s Peter Foster.
Westman Communications’ Dave Baxter and his wife Darlene.
From left, consultant Allan Schwebel, the CCSA’s Cheryl Mangusso and HiFi HDTV’s Andrew Irwin.
On the Click trade show floor.
Source Cable’s Tina Compton (left) and Myrna Bontje.
TVC Canada’s Steve Quinn (left) and Capital Networks’ Bil Trainor.
Dave Armstrong of Markdale Cable (left) visits Trilithic.
Tom Sullivan (left) and Rob Figliuzzi of Wightman Telecom.
TVC’s Darie Marza, left, with Olds Fibre Ltd.’s Craig Dobson.
Teletoon’s Mary-Anne Taylor and Arctic Cable Co-operative’s Roger Bouchard.
From left: Stingray Digital’s Veronique Bibeau and Nicolas Savoie with Astral Media’s Domenic Vivolo.
From left: CityWest’s Rob Brown, Execulink’s Keith Stevens and Astral’s Mark Waschulzik.
Dery Telecom’s Eric Banville, left, perused the trade show floor.
Awaiting the raffle prizes at Connect.
CTV’s Ben Keyes with CityWest’s Chad Cunningham.
Milk River Cable Club’s Victor Haddad (left) with Clearcable Networks’ Ryan McCann.
