Metro Sports, a Kansas City-area sports station owned and operated by Time Warner Cable, celebrated its tenth anniversary with a number of activities.  Goals included increasing public awareness of the station, retaining customers despite additional competition, celebrating local amateur and professional sports, honoring Metro Sports’ dedicated staff, and involving viewers and the entire cable employee group.  This was accomplished through a large public celebration, viewer involvement (via the website) to develop “Top Ten” lists to form the basis of a book, development of a special anniversary logo and creating nine special programs to air on Metro Sports and remain available on Kansas City OnDemand. 

The concept of celebrating National Literacy Month by piloting the English ON DEMAND programming service was born after a Comcast employee heard an adult English as a Second Language (ESL) student talk about the struggle to attend classes while working and managing family life.  Sixteen ESL video lessons were made available through Comcast’s On Demand service.  The program was introduced at a celebration held on September 12, 2007, at Lynn City Hall in collaboration with local and state government and nonprofit leaders to draw attention to the issue of literacy and ESL.  More than 13,000 ESL videos were watched in September, and additional Comcast markets expanded the program.

Cablevision’s Power to Learn provided its New York City Metro area communities with three summer reading programs – Knicks Read to Achieve @powertolearn.com presented by Kia, Knicks & Liberty Postcard Club and a Gail Carson Levine reading and signing event.  These initiatives continue Power to Learn’s commitment to support reading literacy in our communities, and reinforce the message in our service area that Cablevision not only provides, technology services for free to schools and libraries, but also content and programs that support learning both in and out of school. 

With the city of San Francisco set to host the 78th Annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game, FSN Bay Area teamed up with MLB to create a campaign to recognize and celebrate another group of all-stars:  Bay Area teachers.  The ALL-STAR TEACHER Award was developed to honor middle and high school teachers who “go above and beyond” to inspire students and enrich their community.  On July 7, 2007, FSN Bay Area presented the ALL-STAR TEACHER Award live on stage during the DHL All-Star FanFest at the Moscone West Convention Center, awarding the winning teacher with a $10,000 check for his school.

Celebrating its 10th consecutive year creating lasting memories for families nationwide, ANIMAL PLANET EXPO 2007 brought distribution partners and communities together to share a common passion: animals.  ANIMAL PLANET EXPO has successfully offered local affiliates a host of unique marketing opportunities in one fun-filled package.  Since its launch in 1998, nearly 1.5 million animal lovers of all ages have experienced the thrill of exotic animal presentations, Frisbee dog shows, on-site pet adoption and more.  Every square inch of the lively event embodies Discovery’s philosophy of education as a part of entertainment.  With over $76,000 donated this year alone to shelters across the country, ANIMAL PLANET EXPO brings strategic outreach to rewarding new heights.

HIV/AIDS no longer dominates the headlines as it once did.  Similarly, Denver is no longer viewed as the “cable capitol” it once was.  Yet somehow the Cable Positive Denver Chapter continues to evolve and raise more than $100,000 every year to support HIV/AIDS education, prevention and care.  This year the organization made a major shift in its fundraising approach, embracing a year-round series of events that raise funds, awareness and generate excitement and support for the major event, a musical satire of the current state of affairs in the cable industry written and performed by cable employees.  This year a “Cable Karaoke” competition and “Wicked” theatre party were added to raise almost $120,000 to benefit local organizations and Cable Positive.