The National Cable & Telecommunications Association held its 60th Cable Show this week in Chicago, returning to the city for the first time since 2003. Industry leaders gathered at McCormick Place to discuss emerging technologies and trends in how consumers are using video content.
The association projects 2011 attendance at 13,000, about on par with last year. The eclectic lineup of speakers and celebrity appearances ranged from Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, to reality TV personality Kendra Wilkinson.
Here are some highlights from the three-day gathering, which ended Thursday:
The Netflix factor
Cable executives were peppered with questions about Netflix, which has evolved from an online DVD rental service to a major provider of high-definition video streaming. The company also has plans to launch original programming.
Industry officials acknowledged Netflix’s popularity but dismissed the possibility that the company could take the place of traditional cable operators.
“Netflix is primarily a service that provides library programming,†Philippe Dauman, president and chief executive of Viacom Inc., said during a panel Tuesday.
At a Wednesday discussion, Michael Willner, chief executive of Insight Communications, pointed out that cable companies provide the “big, thick broadband pipe†that enables applications such as Netflix streaming.
Other executives said Netflix’s business model doesn’t support the kind of significant investment in extensive original or current programming, such as sports, that keeps customers loyal to their pay-TV subscriptions.
Even so, Netflix is shaping media-consumption habits in ways that are making cable operators take notice.
“Maybe you just have multiple animals in the jungle,†Coleman Breland, chief operating officer of Turner Network Sales, said at a different panel Wednesday. “I don’t think Netflix is going to go away tomorrow.â€
Motorola Mobility
Libertyville-based Motorola Mobility unveiled several new products, including a device called Televation, which plugs into a home Wi-Fi router and can stream live TV to any device connected to the wireless network. Although the company didn’t offer details about availability, it said it worked closely with Comcast Corp. to develop Televation.
Motorola Mobility also announced it will be working with Honeywell Security Group on a home security system that cable companies can offer to their subscribers. This foray springs from Motorola Mobility’s 2010 acquisition of 4Home Inc., a technology firm that specializes in “smart home†software. With a connected home security system, consumers can monitor their houses remotely with a smartphone or tablet, accessing video surveillance footage or setting a thermostat from afar.
“Content takes on a whole new meaning†when home security is added to the mix, John Burke, Motorola Mobility’s senior vice president and general manager of converged experiences, told the Tribune. He defined content as “anything the consumer feels they want to stay in touch with.â€
Startups in the spotlight
Entrepreneurs got a chance to pitch technology ideas to a group of cable executives, with each startup presenting for 10 minutes and then fielding questions from the panel. The event gave the emerging businesses an opportunity to receive feedback from seasoned industry officials and hone their pitches for potential investors.
Sreekanth Ravi, co-founder and chief executive of a Menlo Park, Calif.-based firm called Tely Labs, showed off a device for high-definition video-calling. The device, which rests atop a TV, runs on Google’s Android operating system and has a built-in webcam and microphone.
Like Comcast, which announced a partnership with Skype this week, Tely Labs believes many consumers want an immersive video-calling experience through the TV.
Tags: Cable, Chicago, evolution, highlight, Netflix, Oprah, return, Shows, Tribune, Winfrey â€"
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