WTA/SSPI Satellite Business Forum at the NAB Discuss Key Industry Trends

Dick Tauber, V-P of CNN chairing the "Covering Disasters: System and Services for Reporting and Emergency Communications" at the WTA/SSPI Satellite Business Pavilion at the NAB. From left is Tauber, Ram Chandran of Kromos; Jerry Lenaz of Uplit, John Stolz of Global Solutions Communications and Stefan Jucken of ND Satcom.

LAS VEGAS, NV, April 27, 2006/Satnews Daily/ — Key satellite executives discussed  industry trends in a three-day forum held at the Satellite  Business Pavilion of the National Broadcasting Association (NAB) convention in Las Vegas from April 24-26, 2006.   The forum discussed where the industry is heading as well as specialized sessions on IP-based media and Digital Media Management, among others.

The forum was organized by the World Teleport Association (WTA) and the Society of Satellite Profesionals International (SSPI) and was sponsored by SES Americom,  PanAmSat and Globecast. Speakers at the forum included: Robert Zitter, Chief Technology Officer of HBO, Jim Ramo, CEO of Movielink, Dick Tauber, Vice-President of CNN, Bryan McGuirk, Senior Vice-President of SES Americom and Mike Antonovich, Executive Vice-President of PanAmSat, among others.

The growing number of new media delivery options make it increasing important for satellite service providers to be up to date on the latest technology. At the NAB, the buzzword was on IP-based delivery, which was the focus of the second day of the  forum on “IP-base media.”  The drive to provide “Triple Play” of services (voice, data, video) and now even “Quadruple Play” (which include the mobile component) was discussed in several sessions at the forum. 

The increasing role Hybrid networks were discussed in one forum chaired by Dick Tauber of CNN in the session on “Covering Disasters: Systems and Services for Reporting and Emergency Communications.” Stefan Jucken, Vice-Pesident of ND Satcom, said in tat session that “hybrid networks combines the best of the wired and wireless worlds.”

Others session include topic such as “IPTV, Telcos and Satellites: Will They Play Well Together?” “Inside a Digitial Cinema Network” “DBS/DTH and the Triple Play”  “Achieving Double Digit Growth in Satellite Servicesw”, among others.

“The value of this workshop being held at the show floor in the satellite area of the NAB is that we are able to get the best content and speakers as well as it being freely-accessible to all delegates,” said Robert Bell, executive director of the WTA and SSPI.  Attendees at NAB do not need to register separately to participate in the satellite forum.  “The forum,therefore is an integral part of the show experience and participants use it like they surf the net,” added Bell.

The NAB is one of the largest broadcasting shows in the world attended by over 100,000 domestic and international delegates.