December 9, 2011

ACA's 19th Annual Summit To Take Place March 13-15, 2012, At Grand Hyatt In Washington, D.C.

Independent Cable Geared Up To Take On Retransmission Consent, Content Distribution and Broadband Deployment

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 9, 2011 – The American Cable Association is pleased to announce that next year’s ACA Summit will take place March 13-15 at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Washington, D.C.  The ACA Summit is the cable industry’s leading event for smaller, independent and competitive cable operators that seek a Washington, D.C., venue to share their public policy concerns and philosophy with those in power:  From officials in the Obama Administration to key players on Capitol Hill and inside the Federal Communications Commission, in addition to personnel with the print and electronic media.

This year’s event will mark the 19th ACA Summit, continuing a tradition as the most important forum nationally for highlighting and celebrating the critical role performed by nearly 1,000 independent cable operators in providing advanced communications services in some of the most remote corners of the country.  ACA’s membership takes great pride in serving some of the most capital-intensive regions and giving vitality and meaning to the ideal of connecting people to unite a nation.

“With so much at stake for our industry in Washington D.C., I strongly believe that attending the ACA Summit is essential for independent cable operators that want to express their views to our country’s most senior policymakers. I’m convinced that there is simply no substitute for demonstrating personal commitment to your business and your interest in good public policy outcomes,” ACA Chairwoman Colleen Abdoulah, who is Chairwoman & CEO of WOW! Internet, Cable and Phone, said.

The theme for this year’s show, “Geared Up For Progress,” underscores ACA’s firm commitment in 2012 and beyond to locating opportunities for public engagement on a number of critical issues, especially retransmission consent, broadband deployment and access to content on fair and reasonable terms.

“ACA members will definitely be ‘geared up’ and ready to explain how their companies built their leadership position as the broadband access provider of choice in hometown America.  Anything policymakers can do to help the independent cable community avoid costly and burdensome regulation, as well as anti-competitive conduct by those with market power, will advance the goal of universal broadband access at affordable rates,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said.

ACA’s work in developing detailed proposals on the reform of communications policies that have the most dramatic impact on small and midsized cable providers is ongoing.  As always, the ACA Summit is a special time for focusing attention on the fact that ACA members are at work each and every day filling the broadband infrastructure needs of rural America and competitive areas, where people running the smallest firms now have the technology to reach consumers on a global scale.

Hundreds of ACA members will attend the 19th ACA Summit, recognizing it as an invaluable event for interacting with policymakers and sharing their unique concerns and interests in a balanced regulatory regime that governs the media-broadband-telecommunications space.  The ACA Summit is also a venue for an open exchange on crafting rules and regulations suitable for a fluid and dynamic marketplace that is a constant challenge for small companies with above-average costs, finite resources and competitive threats aplenty.

Over the three days in Washington, ACA members will participate in meetings on Capitol Hill in addition to public sessions on regulatory and legislative issues joined by insiders who will have all the key details. A lobbying preparation session, networking events, and an expanded exhibit hall for programmers, technology vendors, and service providers complete the Summit’s list of key events.

ACA is currently seeking exhibitors and sponsors for the event.  Interested parties should contact Stacey Leech at [email protected] or (412)-922-8300, ext. 15.

Further information about the ACA Summit 2012 agenda and the exciting lineup of speakers will be made available on the ACA Summit 2012 web site closer to the time of the event.

Meanwhile, to register and learn more about ACA Summit 2012, please visit: ACASummit.org

About the American Cable Association:  Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 900 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7.6 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/