The Weather Channel and Cox Communications Sponsored The Weather Camp in Alexandria, Virginia
The Weather Channel and Cox Communications Northern Virginia recently hosted a full-day Weather Camp at Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Forty junior and senior high school students were chosen by teachers to participate in the camp on March 24. The Weather Camp combines science and adventure in an interactive program that features resources from The Weather Channel such as The Weather Classroom, a variety of safety and weather appreciation educational units, and access to maps and data on The Weather Channelís Web site. Jennifer Carfagno, a meteorologist with The Weather Channel, worked with the students in a variety of activities to explain the science behind weather phenomena and the process of preparing a weather forecast. Students were given the opportunity to develop and present their own weather reports. Some of these forecasts were featured during the daily news program for all students at Mount Vernon. The Weather Camp in Alexandria, Virginia, was the first of eight Weather Camps The Weather Channel will sponsor with cable affiliates this year. For more information on The Weather Camp, contact Carolyn Jones at (770) 226-2140.

 Take a Piece of FORUM 2003 Home with You
CTPAA is selling VHS copies of all the General Sessions from FORUM 2003. The tape set will include Mondayís and Tuesdayís General and Luncheon Sessions. Mondayís sessions include the opening Leadership Address from Jim Robbins, President and CEO of Cox Communications, Inc. and his interview by Court TVís Catherine Crier; the Public Affairs Keynote Address from Fraser P. Seitel, a public relations expert; the luncheon address from Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez; and the Great Public Affairs Ideas/Beacon Finalist Gong Show General Session. A recap of Tuesday sessions include the Keynote Industry Address from Robert Sachs, President and CEO of NCTA; the Public Policy Address from FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy; Covering the News: The Journalistís Evolving Role, featuring Judy Woodruff, CNN Senior Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics with Judy Woodruff" who was interviewed by Bill Gloede, editor, Cable World; the luncheon keynote address from Reg Weaver, President, National Education Association, and the Broadband Man on the Street panel discussion. The two-tape set is $125. An order form is posted on CTPAAís Web site.

FORUM 2003 Evaluations Sent to Members
Earlier this week, CTPAA sent all FORUM 2003 participants an evaluation and feedback survey covering all aspects of the conference. The FORUM 2004 Committee will use the input from the surveys when developing session topics and other ideas for next yearís meeting. Please return your completed survey to CTPAA via e-mail or fax at (202) 955-1134. CTPAA also encourages members to contact Steve Jones  directly at (202) 775-1083 or sjones@ctpaa.org with ideas for FORUM 2004 or to volunteer for the FORUM 2004 committee.

CTPAA at OCTAís Annual Meeting
CTPAA is co-sponsoring a master course entitled "The Changing Face of Crisis Communications" at the Ohio Cable Telecommunications Associationís (OCTA) 2003 Annual Meeting. Designed for entry-to-senior level public affairs and management executives, the master course will focus on media and government relations in high-pressure situations. The course will be held on Wednesday, April 30, 2003, from 1:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is open to individuals registered for OCTAís Annual Meeting. While there is no additional fee for the course, individuals must register in advance to attend.

The workshop will provide training on:

  • Building Ongoing Relationships with the Media
  • Responding to Media & Requests ñ Including Financial Questions
  • Preparing a Spokesperson for a Media Interview
  • Responding to Political Issues and Elected/Government Officials
  • Case Studies: Effective and Ineffective Responses to High-Pressure Media Situations
  • Interactive Session: How to Respond and Manage Issues
  • Determining Who Should Manage What Issues

Margie Elsberg is a 25-year veteran of the Washington press corps and has been a media trainer for 12 years. In addition to her years as a print and broadcast reporter, Elsberg will bring her cable experience to the course. In the early 1990ís, she worked as a media trainer for an intensive, two-day media training project developed by CATA. During the session, Elsberg will critique mock interviews taped with participants in the classroom. Over the past year, Elsberg has been an instructor for three other CTPAA master courses.  For more information on OCTAís 2003 Annual Meeting and to register for the workshop, go to Ohio Cable Telecommunications Associationís Web site or call 614/461-4014.

Two Upcoming Cable in the Classroom Meetings
Cable in the Classroom (CIC) is hosting two meetings this spring. On May 13 in Washington, DC, CIC will host a meeting to explore the connections between the cable industryís public affairs and business goals. CICís Annual Membership Meeting will be held on June 7 and 8 in Chicago, Illinois, in conjunction with NCTAís Cable 2003. There is no registration fee for either meeting.

For the May 13 one-day meeting, CIC has invited leading experts to brief members on three topics that connect directly to the cable industryís public affairs and business goals.  Peter Grunwald of Grunwald Associates will present his most recent market research findings on how young people are using the Internet at home and school. His 2003 reports include analysis of broadband users. He will incorporate data analyzed specifically for the cable industry. Jim Hirsch, Assistant Superintendent for the Plano, Texas, Independent School District; Steve Heard, CEO of The Futures Channel; and Jim McCall, Vice President of United Streaming will discuss current uses and future possibilities for streamed media, video clip libraries and VOD. During lunch, Alice Cahn of the Markle Foundation will explore what is ahead for children in the technology landscape. Doug Levin, author of the 2002 report "The Digital Disconnect: The widening gap between Internet-savvy students and their schools" and Pam Grotz, Executive Director of the National PTA have been invited to share their perspectives and respond to questions.

Currently scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. on May 13, a specific location has not been confirmed at this time. It will be held in a downtown Washington, DC location. To register, please contact Barbara Hopkins at bhopkins@ciconline.org with your name, title, company and complete contact information by May 1. There is no fee for this event. Contact Donelle Blubaugh at dblubaugh@ciconline.org or 703/933-3117 with any questions.

The CIC annual membership meeting will begin with a luncheon at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 and end with a luncheon at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. The meeting will be held at a downtown Chicago location (currently not finalized). Saturday following the meeting, participants will adjourn for a networking dinner. The Annual Meeting will include opportunities for participants to present information on their companiesí education initiatives; networking opportunities; sharing insight on creating, maintaining and communicating education projects; and information about CIC resources. For more information, contact Donelle Blubaugh at dblubaugh@ciconline.org or 703/933-3117.

 Thank You 2003 Corporate Members!
For information on how your organization can join CTPAA as a corporate member, please contact Steve Jones at 202/775-1083. For membership details, go to http://www.magnetmail.net/Actions/linktosite.cfm?message_id=8778&user_id=CTPPA&recipient_id=2707054&site=http://www.ctpaa.org/mcorp.shtml.

2003 Golden Benefactors

A&E Networks
Advance/Newhouse Communications
Cablevision Systems Corporation
Charter Communications
Comcast Cable Communications
Cox Communications
NBC Cable Networks
Rainbow Media Holdings
Time Warner Cable
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc

2003 Benefactors

ABC Cable Networks Group
ESPN
Lifetime Television
MTV Networks
TechTV
The Weather Channel

2003 Friends & Associates

Adelphia
CableLabs
Cable Telecommunications Association of New York
Comedy Central
Court TV
C-SPAN Networks
Discovery Networks
Florida Cable Telecommunications Association
Game Show Network
Hallmark Channel
HBO
Indiana Cable Telecommunications Association
Insight Communications
International Channel
Midcontinent Communications
Motorola, Broadband Communications Sector
Ohio Cable Telecommunications Association
Oxygen Media
Scientific-Atlanta
Scripps Networks
Showtime Networks
Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association
Terayon Communication Systems