Featured Keynote Speakers Already Confirmed Include Rep. John Barrow and FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai
PITTSBURGH, January 3, 2013 – Independent cable operators from communities all across the great American heartland will gather in Washington, D.C., in March to celebrate their two decades of achievement at the American Cable Association’s historic 20th Anniversary Summit.
“This ACA Summit promises to be a spectacular event that will honor our success in the past as well as map our goals for the future. With deep pride and conviction, ACA Members set out 20 years ago to become the authentic and respected voice of an independent cable community determined to influence communications policy in Washington, D.C. Though much works lies ahead, ACA has changed the tone and substance of the public policy debate for the better because media giants now know they cannot escape the strong and committed voice of our Members, and government regulators understand the importance of taking into account the disproportionate impact that regulations have on small video, broadband, and phone providers,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said.
ACA is pleased to announce that two leaders in the field of communications policymaking – Rep. John Barrow of Georgia and Commissioner Ajit Pai of the Federal Communications Commission – have already committed to address individually the ACA Summit during the March 12-14 event. ACA expects to announce more speakers in the future.
“ACA is delighted that two respected and thoughtful policymakers like Rep. Barrow and FCC Commissioner Pai have already agreed to join us at the 20th ACA Summit, a truly special occasion for ACA Members who have been dedicated advocates for fair rules and positive outcomes in the public policy arena for independent cable operators and their customers,” Polka said.
Pai is scheduled to have a one-on-one discussion with ACA’s Polka on Wednesday, March 13, while Rep. Barrow will speak the following day, delivering that morning’s Congressional Address moments before hundreds of ACA Members head to Capitol Hill to discuss a range of issues important to voice, video and broadband providers and consumers, such as the proliferation of TV station blackouts due to retransmission consent impasses and the skyrocketing cost of sports programming.
The ACA Summit – cable’s premier event for smaller, independent and competitive cable operators – will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. The Summit is widely considered the best opportunity for small business owners serving hometown America with advanced communications services to advocate for change in face-to-face exchanges with Obama Administration officials, Capitol Hill lawmakers and senior FCC personnel.
Rep. Barrow, a Democrat, is currently serving his fifth term representing Georgia’s 12th Congressional District. He serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has oversight authority over the FCC and the communications industry at large, including independent cable operators. Rep. Barrow is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and currently serves as the group’s Policy Co-Chair.
Pai, nominated to the FCC by President Barack Obama, was confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on May 7, 2012. One week later, he was sworn in for a term that concludes on June 30, 2016. From 2007 to 2011, Pai held several positions in the FCC’s Office of General Counsel, including Deputy General Counsel. Pai has also worked on Capitol Hill, first as Deputy Chief Counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts, and later as Chief Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights.
The 20th ACA Summit will extend its tradition as the most important forum nationally to honor the critical role played by independent cable operators that serve rural and remote regions of the country that are typically much more costly to build out with advanced technology.
The year’s ACA Summit will once again underscore the trade group’s firm commitment to finding consensus and highlight progress made on many critical issues, especially retransmission consent, broadband deployment and access to content on fair and reasonable terms.
ACA is currently seeking exhibitors and sponsors for the event. Interested parties should contact Stacey Leech at sleech@acaconnects.org or (412)-922-8300, ext. 15.
Further information about the ACA Summit 2013 agenda and the exciting lineup of speakers will be made available on the ACA Summit 2013 website closer to the time of the event.
Meanwhile, to register and learn more about ACA Summit 2013, please visit: http://acasummit.org/
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 850 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7.4 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/