Court TV Partners with The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
More than 2,000 children are reported missing to law enforcement each day in the United States, and one in five children ages 10 to 17 years old receive unwanted sexual solicitations online. To help combat these problems, Court TV has teamed up with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as part of the network's Keep America Safe Campaign. Court TV will use its on-air and online resources as well as its relationship with cable systems across the country to help track missing children and educate families on prevention and safety. In addition, when a child is abducted, Court TV will immediately produce a television spot to air on local cable systems in an effort to spread the word more quickly and to a wider audience.

At an event on Capitol Hill yesterday, representatives from Court TV and NCMEC discussed the details of this partnership. Court TV also presented its first Keep America Safe Awards. Henry Schleiff, chairman and CEO of Court TV, and Catherine Crier, Court TV anchor and host of Catherine Crier Live, presented awards to Ernie Allen, president and CEO, NCMEC; U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer (D-AL), co-chairman, Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus; U.S. Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL), co-chairman, Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus; and U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson (D-TX), founder and chairman, Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus.

As part of its partnership with NCMEC, Court TV will regularly air detailed information, including name, photo, and date and place last seen, of missing children on its programs Catherine Crier Live and Closing Arguments. On July 28 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), Court TV will air the special Al Roker Investigates: Katie.com examining the story of Katie Tarbox, who was attacked by a sexual predator whom she met in an online teen chat room. Online, Court TV will include information on NCMEC education initiatives on the network's education site, and it will help to educate children and their parents by teaching them to be smarter and safer online by exposing them to the NetSmartz Workshop online at http://www.magnetmail.net/ls.cfm?r=2707054&sid=178597&m=40211&u=CTPPA&s=http://www.courttv.com/choices.

When NCMEC confirms that a child has been abducted, it will provide Court TV with the pertinent details. Court TV will then contact the local cable system with the information and provide them with a customized 30-second television spot that will include the abducted child's name, photo and date and place last seen for inclusion on its system. The network will also run an on-air crawl and discuss the incidents on the network's most widely viewed daytime shows, Catherine Crier Live and Closing Arguments.  In addition, the information will be posted on the network's missing children Web site.  For more information on this partnership, contact Court TV's Lee Tenebruso at 212-973-2841 or tenebrusol@courttv.com.

 CTPAA Sends Letters to Officials on Behalf of 2004 Beacon Winners
As a member service, CTPAA has sent, on behalf of 2004 Beacon Award winners, letters detailing the winning project to up to ten officials of the winner's choice. Letters have gone to members of Congress, governors, mayors, school officials and other opinion leaders. In response to a letter about Comcast's Beacon winning project Dallas Community Report, a staff member from the Texas governor's office contacted CTPAA and asked for information about all the Texas Beacon winners so that the governor could send them all congratulatory letters. If any Beacon winners would like CTPAA to send letters to ten officials about the Beacon Award winning project, please contact Michelle Butler at 202-775-1082 or mbutler@ctpaa.org.

 Comcast Foundation Donates $25,000 to Seattle's El Centro de la Raza
The Comcast Foundation's Comcast Reading Network recently gave a $25,000 grant to El Centro de la Raza to fund a program that uses poetry to develop literacy and enhance creative thinking and writing skills for Seattle area youth. Through support of local reading initiatives, the Comcast Reading network is a company-wide effort dedicated to advancing literacy levels and reading skills in Comcast communities.

The $25,000 Comcast Foundation grant will be used to fund the poetry component of El Centro de la Raza's Hope for Youth Program. The program for students ages 10-18 is designed to help develop basic literacy skills and motivate young people with underdeveloped reading and writing skills to express themselves through the written word. It also focuses on helping participants develop a positive identity, healthy value system, social competencies and a commitment to learning. The poetry classes are held twice a week and integrate no fewer than 80 students. The popularity of Hip Hop and Rap music has renewed an interest in poetry, and recent studies have verified that poetry can improve reading and writing skills.

Located in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, El Centro de la Raza has been serving a diverse population of low-income Seattle residents since 1972. The organization's mission is to achieve equality, justice, dignity and freedom for all people without regard to race, color, creed, sex or national origin. For more information, contact Steve Kipp at steve_kipp@cable.comcast.com or 425-398-6150.

 The History Channel Co-Sponsors Brown v. Board of Education Exhibition at Smithsonian
The History Channel is a co-sponsor of the "Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education" exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. The exhibition marks the 50^th anniversary of the Supreme Court's groundbreaking decision that helped end legal segregation in the United States. It opened on Saturday, May 15, and will remain open until May 30, 2005. The network produced and donated several videos that have been incorporated into the exhibition, and approximately 5 million visitors are expected. In addition, The History Channel has developed a companion piece on Brown v. Board for its educational Web site.

 CTPAA Member Discount at SCTE Conference
As a member service, CTPAA has arranged for its members to receive the member rate to attend the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) Cable-Tec Expo 2004, June 15-18 in Orlando, FL-a $120 savings on full registration. In today's business world, cable public affairs executives are expected to know about many types of cable technologies, such as WiFi, DOCSISÆ, VOD and HDTV. By attending SCTE's Cable-Tec Expo, CTPAA members will have an opportunity to learn about these critical technologies through a large offering of educational and networking opportunities. Cable-Tec Expo features more than 20 educational workshops on today's hottest technologies. Topics include: legal issues in standards development; advances and changes in VOD; bandwidth management; customer premises environment; network management; rolling out the triple play of voice, video and data; transport systems and architecture; and workforce management. At Cable-Tec Expo, members may explore the exhibit hall, featuring the latest products from cable's leading hardware and service providers. In the exhibit hall, you can meet face-to-face with vendors and have the opportunity to touch the technology, ask questions and come back to your office with the information you need to better communicate the cable industry's technology offerings.  Register online today.

 Refer Your Peers to CTPAA and Receive a $20 Gift Certificate
FORUM. Beacons. Networking. These are just a few of the many benefits that come with membership in CTPAA. Help your peers succeed in cable public affairs by encouraging them to join the Cable Television Public Affairs Association. As a token of appreciation, CTPAA will send members a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com or to Borders Book Store for each new (upon receiving payment) cable television public affairs professional who joins CTPAA through their recommendation. When referring a new member, make sure the person who made the referral is listed on the "Referred By" line on the application form.

 Volunteer for a CTPAA Committee!
CTPAA is recruiting volunteers for Board, FORUM, and Beacon Committees. FORUM Committee Members will help determine the agenda and promote FORUM 2005 to the industry. Beacon volunteers manage the complete 2005 Beacon Awards process from promotion of the deadlines to judging the entries to the Beacon Awards Gala. The three Board Committees develop association programs and include Create a Favorable Environment for Business Growth, Provide Professional Development Resources and Recognition, and Strengthen CTPAA's Effectiveness. For more information on FORUM or Board Committees, contact Steve Jones at 202-775-1083 or at sjones@ctpaa.org. For information on the Beacon committee, contact Michelle Butler at 202-775-1082 or at mbutler@ctpaa.org.

 Job Opening - Media Relations
Manager, Media Relations, NBC Universal Cable. This person will write and pitch releases relating to distribution, affiliate marketing and local ad sales of the NBC Universal cable networks; video-on-demand; HDTV and the launch of new networks. He or she will also promote executives for industry panels and prepare briefing materials. Based in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, this position requires 3-5 years cable pr experience. If interested, please email resume and cover letter to Alyssa Donelan at Alyssa.donelan@nbcuni.com.

 Thank You Corporate Members!
Join and support CTPAA by becoming a corporate member. For information on how your organization can join CTPAA as a corporate member, please contact Steve Jones at sjones@ctpaa.org or at 202-775-1083. For membership details, go to http://www.magnetmail.net/ls.cfm?r=2707054&sid=178607&m=40211&u=CTPPA&s=http://www.ctpaa.org/mcorp.shtml.

2004 Golden Benefactors
A&E Networks
Advance/Newhouse Communications
Cablevision Systems Corporation
Charter Communications
Comcast Cable Communications
Cox Communications
MTV Networks
NBC Cable Networks
Rainbow Media Holdings
Time Warner Cable
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

2004 Benefactors
ABC Cable Networks Group
ESPN
Lifetime Television
TechTV
The Weather Channel

2004 Friends & Associates
Adelphia
Bresnan Communications
CableLabs
Cable Telecommunications Association of New York
Court TV
C-SPAN Networks
Discovery Networks
Florida Cable Telecommunications Association
Fox Cable Networks
Game Show Network
Gemstar-TV Guide
Hallmark Channel
HBO
Indiana Cable Telecommunications Association
Insight Communications
International Channel
Midcontinent Communications
Motorola, Broadband Communications Sector
Ohio Cable Telecommunications Association
The Outdoor Channel
Outdoor Life Network
Oxygen Media
Scientific-Atlanta
Scripps Networks
Showtime Networks
Starz Encore Group
Texas Cable & Telecommunications Association