A MONTH FROM TODAY, Canadian Cable Systems Alliance members, their supporters and suppliers will gather at the Fairmont Tremblant in Mont Tremblant Quebec for Connect 2011, its yearly conference and annual general meeting.
The gathering will begin Sunday with a board meeting and CCSA members-only sessions, followed by an evening President’s Reception for all attendees.
After breakfast on Monday, September 19, Rob McCann of Clearcable Networks will host a technical session “to talk about recent development relevant to independent operators,” said CCSA president and CEO Alyson Townsend.
After that will be the popular trade show (last year’s, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is pictured below) and a buffet lunch during that show.
Three speaker sessions are scheduled for the afternoon, one of whom is the CBC’s Terry O’Reilly, who hosts the advertising/marketing focused show “Age of Persuasion”. O’Reilly has a long history in media and ad agencies and explores how marketers have permeated every level of our lives.
His talk will centre around the theme “don’t outspend them, outsmart them,” said Townsend.
One other yet-to-be-confirmed speaker will also take the stage Monday afternoon, too, and there will also be a CTAM session to round out the day, prior to the evening’s CCSA-members-only mixer with CRTC commissioners and staff and then the dinner and awards which is open to all attendees.
Tuesday is the fun day with a golf or spa option.
This year’s Connect looks to be a well attended one since the CCSA has “already have beaten where we were last year in terms of registration,” added Townsend.
“We always look to raise the bar a little more every year to keep it fresh but the benefit of this conference for members is to find out you’re not alone. (Members) feel very unique and different than everyone else and when they come they are surprised, again, by how much they have in common with the other independents and how they can learn from them,” she continued.
“We try to put more emphasis every year in letting members talk to members in an environment where we don’t necessarily give answers but where members can coach members.”
Industry consolidation, potential SRDU regulation changes, vertical integration, wireless options, usage-based billing, and the growing costs for programming are just some of the crucial issues all CCSA members share.
“Whatever the issue of the day is… talking to each other is most beneficial,” said Townsend.
Vertical integration is a key worry among CCSA members since not only do the independents have little leverage when buying programming from such large corporations as Shaw Communications (Shaw Media) and Bell Canada (Bell Media), they also compete on the subscription TV front with the other ends of those companies, Shaw Direct and Bell TV – from whom they also purchase transport for some specialty channels.
“They are extremely worried,” said Townsend of her members. “It’s absolutely huge. The level of vertical integration is absolutely unprecedented.”
“We made our pitch at the Commission and I believe they understood and we’re awaiting the decision. It’s a new industry now with very few players and we are the independents, not connected with any programming… we hope they deal with SRDU in the context of vertical integration.”
That CRTC-CCSA member mixer might be an interesting hour or so…
To attend Connect 2011, which Cartt.ca is a supporter and sponsor, click here to register.
