With the Cable & Telecommunications Association
for Marketing’s area chapters winding down by yearend,
at least one group has committed to reforming as a new
entity, while another is contemplating a similar move.
The Rocky Mountain Cable Association, emerging from
the CTAM Rocky Mountains Chapter, will begin operations
on Jan. 1, 2012, as a new Denver-based group for regional companies
and individuals who work in the cable and telecommunications
fields.
Meanwhile on the East Coast, leadership
at the CTAM Washington-Baltimore chapter
is taking some initial steps toward a potential
transformation of its own.
WESTERN PIONEERS
The RMCA’s mission is to continue to
deliver low-cost, educational and social
events for those working in the business of
cable, while offering professional networking
opportunities that strengthen business
relationships and enrich its membership
and sponsorship base, said Mary Millar, president of the board
of directors for CTAM Rocky Mountains and marketing manager
for marketing operations at Comcast Cable.
The RMCA, at this juncture, is the only confirmed regional
cable membership group looking to reform in the wake of
CTAM’s decision, which was promulgated to chapter leaders
during the marketing organization’s Summit in New Orleans
last October, to fold all of its regional
chapters in the U.S. by
year-end.
CTAM’s national board
opted to focus more closely
on the group’s national education
programs and cooperative
marketing initiatives.
The CTAM Europe and
CTAM Canada chapters will
continue to operate, though, as the national organization
provides a greater level of administrative
support.
All 10 U.S. chapters, which license
their names from the national group,
are winding down their activities by
year-end, a CTAM official said.
The New York chapter is holding its
farewell event, The Sunset Social, on
Sept. 21 at Hudson Terrace in Manhattan.
The Texas-Oklahoma chapter will
stage its 10th and fi nal Chili Cook-Off
event on the shores of Lake Lewisville in Dallas on Sept. 29.
The Greater Philadelphia chapter has scheduled its final
event for Dec. 8 at Beat Street in Manayunk.
The Washington-Baltimore CTAM chapter, though, plans
to survey its 250 members to see how they feel about continuing
efforts in some new form.
Sharon Slotterback, business development manager for
Comcast’s Central Region and co-president of the Beltwayarea
chapter, said the local board “feels that it could be very
beneficial for us to continue in some fashion. The networking
opportunities have been excellent for our members.”
She said the group hopes to make a call by late fall in time
for what is now scheduled to be the
CTAM chapter’s 2011 wrap-up event
in December.
According to CTAM, a majority of the
regionals have opted not to continue
under new auspices. A transition committee
has been guiding the chapters
through the wind-down process.
“We have a unique situation here with
a strong operator and programmer presence,”
RMCA’s Millar said. “The Denver
area is also home to The Cable Center, CableLabs and the Daniels
College of Business at the University of Denver. We asked
ourselves, why should we stop doing something that served
so many so well?”
The Rocky Mountain chapter has 350 members. The news
was broken to them officially at a Sept. 12 event in Denver.
COLORADO EXPANSION
“There are opportunities to continue to emphasize and produce
educational events that have been very strong for us, and
we’re looking to expand our base as well,” Millar said, noting
that planning will take place this fall. Technology firms represent
a likely area of expansion.
RMCA plans to follow in CTAM Rocky Mountains’ footsteps
by hosting four to six events annually, with the “Cable
Apprentice” competition, developed in conjunction with the
Daniels College of Business, again serving as a showcase.
Millar said a decision about RMCA’s new leadership will
be made by the board within the next 30 days or thereabouts.
