Cable Industry's Premier Event, The 2006 National Show, Set to Open in Atlanta This Sunday

Cable Industry's Premier Event, The 2006 National Show, Set to Open in Atlanta This Sunday

Robert Miron of Advance/Newhouse and Greg Maffei of Liberty Media Added to General Session Panels

- President Bush Sends Greetings to Participants -

WASHINGTON, April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Two major speakers have been added to General Session panels, and President George W. Bush has sent regards, as The 2006 National Show prepares to open Sunday in Atlanta.

This year's National Show, the 55th Annual Convention & International Exposition of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), is scheduled for April 9-11 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. It serves as the nation's premier annual showcase for the cable and broadband industry to highlight the cutting edge products, services and equipment that deliver multichannel video and advanced broadband services to tens millions of American consumers.

General Session Speaker Additions

Robert Miron, Chairman & CEO, Advance/Newhouse Communications, will join the convention's opening General Session, entitled "Cable: A Great American Success Story," on Sunday, April 9, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Miron joins on the panel fellow industry pioneers John Hendricks, Chairman, Discovery Communications, Inc.; Brian Lamb, Chairman & CEO, C-SPAN; and Geraldine Laybourne, Chairman, Founder & CEO, Oxygen Media, Inc. The panel will be moderated by General Session keynote speaker Malcolm Gladwell, the best selling author of "The Tipping Point" and "Blink."

Meanwhile, Greg Maffei, President & CEO of Liberty Media has been added to the closing General Session, "Converging on Change: What's in Store ... and Who's Behind It," on Tuesday, April 11, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An exciting look at content development and the multiplicity of delivery platforms, the panel also includes: Jeffrey Bewkes, Chairman, Entertainment & Network Group, Time Warner, Inc.; Stephen Burke, COO, Comcast Corporation; Susan Lyne, President & CEO, Martha Steward Living Omnimedia, Inc.; and Judy McGrath, Chairman & CEO, MTV Networks.

Presidential Greetings

The importance of the cable industry to life in the United States was highlighted in written greetings to participants in the Show, from President George W. Bush.

"Freedom of speech and the free flow of ideas are vital foundations of democracy and help foster a culture of ingenuity, interaction, and imagination," the President wrote in a letter dated March 29, 2006. "By providing a medium for information and expression, the cable and telecommunications industry keeps the American people connected, entertained, and up to date on current events. This convention is an opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss best practices that will help our country stay on the cutting edge of technology."

The President recognized NCTA member companies for their commitment to excellence and added, "I also applaud your efforts to make broadband technology available and accessible to Americans throughout our country. Your good work helps ensure that America remains the most competitive and innovative Nation in the world."

Cable's broadband Internet access is available today to 115 million American homes. Morgan Stanley predicts that number will rise to 117 million -- or 96 percent of American households -- by the end of 2006.

Registration and Exhibit Space

In other National Show news, NCTA said pre-show registrations are tracking about the same as during the last three years, when final attendance figures were in the range of 16,000 to 17,000. The National Show was in San Francisco in 2005, New Orleans in 2004 and Chicago in 2003.

NCTA also said exhibit floor space is tracking slightly ahead of last year's pace, with all indications that 2006 will surpass the 190,500 square foot exhibit floor at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Final statistics will be released next week.

Additional, up-to-the-minute information for The 2006 National Show is available via the official Show website (http://www.thenationalshow.com/).

NCTA is the principal trade association for the cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation's largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access after investing $100 billion over ten years to build out a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology.

Source: National Cable & Telecommunications Association

CONTACT: Rob Stoddard or Brian Dietz of National Cable &
Telecommunications Association, +1-202-775-3629; or Eric Thomas of Fratelli
Group, +1-202-822-9491, for National Cable & Telecommunications Association

Web site: http://www.thenationalshow.com/
http://www.ncta.com/

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