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Financial analysts advise cable operators to protect their digital and mobile business

July 29, 2010

Maribel Ramos-Weiner

Corey McCarthy, CFO at NCTC and moderator of the panel, with Laura Martin from Media Metrics, LLC, and David Joyce from Miller Tabak + Co.

(Maribel Ramos-Weiner, Baltimore). On the second day of The Independent Show, organized by NCTC and ACA in the city of Baltimore, Wall Street financial analysts Laura Martin, Founder and Managing Partner of Media Metrics, LLC; and David C. Joyce, Chief Financial Advisor and media industry analyst for Miller Tabak + Co., gathered to advise small cable operators to protect their businesses in the areas of mobile applications and digital. “Do not let them suffer the same fate of video,” they warned.During the panel discussion titled “Protecting revenue anywhere and everywhere,” Martin said “video is dead” and, along with Joyce, highlighted the importance of protecting rights over digital content.Joyce indicated that small cable operators have to prepare their networks for growth; in other words, the conversion to digital at any cost and as soon as possible so that they can offer interactive advertising capabilities and wireless video applications. “Having a digital network will give them access to new revenue sources such as HD, VOD, DVRs, and home security systems,” he said.Martin and Joyce suggested new sources of business for the cable operators, such as commercial services (noting that this sector is less susceptible to changes in regulations and offers greater profitability); two-way services, which allow for interactivity, and the mobile business.