As a result of the recent announcement of our partnership with Comcast, a few of us made the trek to the granddaddy of cable shows - The Cable Show ’07 - to learn a little more about the industry we’re working with and to meet the players. It’s put on by NCTA, The National Cable & Telecommunications Association, which was founded in 1952. Ok, so Web 2.0 is the new kid on the block, and cable's been around the block, but who says they can't have fun together?
And where's the best place in the country to get together when you're getting together? Vegas, baby!
This year, the conference is hosted at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The exhibit floor mirrors the tv guide – over here WealthTV with a red-hot Ferrari and a dapper Latin gentleman who has been rolling cigars for 36 years and who once was the fastest cigar roller in the world, individually hand wrapping cigars and expertly putting on the finishing touches for a line of attendees, sitting right across from EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) Global Catholic Network whose booth has a dignified display of crosses and prayer cards and is open to all. Penthouse Media Group is just a few aisles away from Oxygen. Disney & ESPN, The Sportsman Channel, SiTV, Here! Networks, HSN, QVC, Fox Cable Networks, Hallmark, Discovery Channel, The Horse Racing Channel, The History Channel, The Fright Channel, Bloomberg Television, HBO, … I’m longing for my remote to help me move from booth to booth.
Changing channels, sprinkled amongst the 300+ exhibits are the technology, internet and mobile companies such as Motorola, Samsung, Sprint Nextel, Tivo, mobitv, Google, Cisco,... Internet and mobile have a small presence here and show the power of new distribution channels for content, and the market moving to triple and quad play offerings.
Not to be out done, TV shows its new technology too … Discovery Channel is showing a flyover of Machu Picchu in 3D HDTV on an enormous screen – looked like you were there – and I can say that because I was once, but that’s another story. Another booth had viewers mesmerized in front of the Panasonic 103” plasma tv. Most of the booths looked more like living rooms with comfy couches and coffee tables, so buyers could relax and get deals done.
Some of the characters step out of the tv to perform and later sign autographs and stand for pictures with attendees. The Fight Science dream team from National Geographic bashing stacks of cinder blocks with their foreheads drew hundreds of people - and shakes of the head from Silicon Valley-ites who earn their living by protecting theirs. Gospel Music Channel booth is playing soul-soaring music, and later American Idol Top 5 finalist George Huff will perform from his debut album. For the 15,000 attendees, there were opportunities to meet Dan Rather, Sponge Bob, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, John Schneider (Dukes of Hazard, Smallville), and others …
Comcast has a large presence and was showcasing their content including Sprout, FEARnet, G4 (www.g4tv.com), Golf Channel, E!, TVOne, and ExerciseTV with Jake of Body by Jake signing his book "I've Seen a Lot of Famous People Naked, and They've Got Nothing on You!" (which you might not guess is a book of Jake's business secrets for entrepreneurs.)
And talk about the bandwidth of cable, I saw all of that in about 2 hours on the exhibit floor - who knows what I missed the other 10+ hours it was open - they kept the events and celebrities coming!
We’re already having fun working with Comcast! And if you're a current Comcast and Plaxo subscriber, you already know what we've got on the way. (link back to other blog post) If not, stay tuned for the results of the partnership!