CABLE 2001 TO FEATURE ANNUAL CABLE & EDUCATION FORUM

Washington, D.C.

– The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and Cable in the Classroom today announced details of the Cable & Education Forum to be featured at Cable 2001, NCTA’s 50th Annual Convention & International Exposition, June 10-13, in Chicago, IL.

The Cable & Education Forum "Digital Bridges" will include a full day of events for educators and their cable industry counterparts on Tuesday, June 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Now in its fourth year, the Forum is designed to bring together a select group of education leaders, children’s advocates and cable industry executives from across the country to learn about the cable industry’s commitment to education and to share ideas about how technology resources can best be deployed to benefit educators, parents and children.

"Cable operators and programmers, lead by Cable in the Classroom, are leaders in providing a variety of valuable resources to assist teachers and students in schools across the country," said Robert Sachs, NCTA’s President and CEO. "We are pleased to once again be partnering with Cable in the Classroom to provide educators with this chance to learn more about the exciting opportunities cable programming and technology offer to education."

Highlights of the Cable & Education Forum agenda include:

  • Keynote address from Dr. Peggy O’Brien, Cable in the Classroom’s new Executive Director
  • Town hall meeting, featuring Bob Morrison, Executive Director of VH1’s Save the Music Foundation.
  • Luncheon featuring Laureen Ong, President, National Geographic Channel; Alex Trebek, host of Jeopardy and the National Geographic Society’s Annual Geographic Bee; and Tom Foreman, Host of National Geographic Today, National Geographic Channel’s daily news magazine.
  • Tour of convention floor, including stops for educational demonstrations.

Media is invited to attend the "Digital Bridges," please contact: Carol Vernon at 703-845-1400.

Additional, up-to-the-minute Cable 2001 information, including convention schedule and registration materials, is available via the official web site (www.cable2001.com); from the Cable 2001 Fax on Demand Hotline (732/544-2514); or from the NCTA’s Department of Industry Affairs (202/775-3669).

Cable in the Classroom represents a contribution of $100 million a year by the cable industry to enhance the resources of teachers, students and schools. More than 8,500 local cable companies provide free cable hook ups and free monthly service to 81,000 schools, reaching 44 million students. More than 500 hours of educational, commercial-free programming and a vast array of online support materials are provided for schools by 40 cable networks each month. Through cable's High Speed Education Connection, local cable companies provide free, cable high-speed Internet hook ups to state accredited K-12 schools and libraries in communities where broadband service is available. In addition to providing programming and online resources, Cable in the Classroom, via its Professional Development Institute, trains educators and other adults on the effective uses of cable television and the Internet (www.ciconline.org).
 

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