PITTSBURGH, Feb. 9, 2011 –The American Cable Association today announced that Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday, April 12 at this year’s ACA Summit, underscoring the vital role independent cable operators play in providing hometown America with access to critical communications services.
“ACA is honored to welcome Commissioner Clyburn as our Summit keynote speaker, and our members look forward to hearing her perceptive insights on a range of public policy issues, affecting consumers, particularly those who are served by independent operators or who reside in smaller, rural markets and competitive areas,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said.
The ACA Summit is being held April 11-13 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill.
ACA has worked closely with Commissioner Clyburn on many issues in the past two years. Most recently, Commissioner Clyburn offered stronger conditions on the Comcast-NBCU license transfer to ensure that independent cable operators can secure Comcast-NBCU programming on fair and reasonable terms.
“As a former small businesswoman herself, Commissioner Clyburn understood from the beginning that the Comcast-NBCU transaction would have reduced competition and raised consumer prices without appropriate conditions. In the end, the FCC embraced a set of robust Clyburn-proposed conditions designed to ensure that the Comcast-NBCU transaction would, in fact, serve the public interest,” Polka said.
Commissioner Clyburn was nominated by President Obama as a member of the Federal Communications Commission on June 25, 2009. She was sworn in August 3, 2009. Her term runs until June 30, 2012.
Commissioner Clyburn has a long history of public service and dedication to the public interest. Prior to joining the FCC, Commissioner Clyburn served for 11 years on the South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC), and was chair from July 2002 through June 2004.
During her tenure at the PSC, Commissioner Clyburn served as the chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ (NARUC) Washington Action Committee.
In the private sector, Commissioner Clyburn was for 14 years the publisher and general manager of The Coastal Times, a Charleston-based weekly newspaper that focused primarily on issues affecting the African American community. She owned and operated the family-founded newspaper following her graduation from the University of South Carolina, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking, Finance & Economics.
Further information about the ACA Summit 2011 agenda and the exciting lineup of additional speakers will be made available on the ACA Summit 2011 website closer to the time of the event.
To register and learn more about ACA Summit 2011, please visit: ACA Summit.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