Viamedia Survey Reveals New Trends In Local TV Advertising

February 23, 2016 Chris Huppertz
VIAMEDIA SURVEY REVEALS NEW TRENDS IN LOCAL TV ADVERTISING Nearly Three-Quarters of Local Advertisers Plan to Complement Their Local Cable TV Ad Spend with Mobile & Digital Buys NEW YORK – February 23, 2016...

Cision Goes Behind the Headlines with Bob Gold

February 19, 2016 Chris Huppertz
Well, isn't our Bob Mr. Popular? He was recently interviewed for Cision's blog on the relationship-based and story-telling nature of PR, how stories are now being told through newer digital mediums and the importance of keeping an eye on the big picture when working with clients. Behind the Headlines with Bob Gold Good PR hinges on relationships. Without a strong relationship with your audience, you won’t be able to communicate effectively. In this interview, Bob Gold, founder, president and CEO of Los Angeles-based PR agency Bob Gold & Associates, shares his strategy for delivering the right message to clients and their customers at the right time. He discusses the importance of focusing on the big picture, the attributes of a good storyteller and the shift from traditional media to multiplatform and digital media. You founded Bob Gold & Associates in 1997. What do you think has contributed to your agency’s success over the years? We are sticklers for measuring all outcomes. We believe every business should be accountable to mutually agreed upon Key Performance Indicators. To that end, we have created our own S.M.A.R.T. Report (Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Timely.) We find that when you combine measured results with demonstrated, unwavering commitment to understanding the industry ecosystem of each of our clients, we earn their respect and appreciation, and our clients see what their investment yields. Read the full interview here.

Bob’s 2016 Media Predictions in Transmit Magazine

February 18, 2016 Chris Huppertz
Transmit Magazine has featured Bob's media predictions for 2016. Will the cable industry continue to cater to cord-cutters? How will online video evolve? See what Bob sees this year has in store for media...read the full article here.    

Huge Colorful Toy Sculptures and Spring Blooms Come Together for Interactive Exhibit at South Coast Botanic Garden

February 18, 2016 Chris Huppertz
Southern California’s ONLY Stop on National Tour Will Connect Families to Nature Utilizing 500,000 LEGO® Bricks What do you get when you combine more than 500,000 toy bricks with countless spring blooms in a lush garden? South Coast Botanic Garden is hosting the only Southern California stop for the LEGO® -brick art collection Nature Connects, presented by Los Angeles Magazine. The interactive art installation, entirely constructed from over half a million toy bricks, will bring 27 larger-than-life, nature-themed sculptures to 15 separate and distinct sections in the Garden. Multiple interactive activities include a bricks raceway, creative bricks building area and children’s reading lounge help round out the diverse and compelling exhibit. Visitors will be invited to download a customized mobile app to unlock ‘hidden’ facts and a map about each sculpture while walking through the garden. The South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes Peninsula is the only Southern California stop for this nationally touring exhibit, which is open to the public from February 19 through May 8, 2016. The sculptures, created by New York-based artist Sean Kenney, took seven months to build. The pieces are all incredibly detailed and assembled exclusively using the popular connecting toys. They range from a 575-piece statue of a goldfinch to a 31, 565- piece hummingbird, the symbol of the South Coast Botanic Garden, to a 45,143-piece bison that stands over 6 feet tall. “This is the first botanic garden in Southern California to offer this one-of-a-kind and engaging artistic vision, representing a whole new way to experience nature through art,” said South Coast Botanic Garden Foundation CEO Adrienne Nakashima. “In bringing Nature Connects to South Coast Botanic Garden, we hope to share the importance of making connections with the natural world. More importantly, with the garden’s commitment to providing a unique horticultural and wildlife habitat experience, we want to invite everyone to get connected with nature and encourage imagination and play through the familiarity of LEGO® toy bricks.” Sponsors for the Nature Connects exhibit include: Los Angeles Magazine; E Page; Promenade on the Peninsula; Kellogg Garden Products, Choura Events, Gusdorf Marketing Group; The Nakashima Family; SA Recycling, SoCal Office Technologies; Sunrise at Palos Verdes; and K12. Sponsors for the Imagination and Play Center include: Supervisor Don Knabe, County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors; The Billman Group at Morgan Stanley, Portia and Andy Cohen, Northrup Grumman; and the Palos Verdes Library District. Other sponsors include: Galileo Innovation Camps; Good Stuff; Simmzy’s; Lattes on Location; Yoobi; SBS Payroll; Time Rack and Union Bank. Membership allows entry into the garden 364 days a year along with other exclusive perks including free parking, special members-only events and discounts. Membership covers access to this exhibition as well as admission to the Garden all year long.

KTLA Visits the Larger-Than-Life LEGO Brick Sculptures at South Coast Botanic Gardens

February 16, 2016 Chris Huppertz
Part of the BG&A team was up bright and early this morning to manage the media preview event of Nature Connects at South Coast Botanic Garden, an art meets nature exhibition of incredible sculptures made out of thousands of LEGO® bricks. Watch Wendy Burch of KTLA discover the exhibit, which will feature activities for kids and a mobile app that will allow guests to enjoy a guided tour and interactive exploration of the Nature Connects exhibit. Nature Connects at South Coast Botanic Garden will be open to the public from February 20th to May 8th, 2016. See the original post on KTLA's website.

Toberman Neighborhood Center Drafts Bob Gold & Associates to Promote NFL Star Terrell Owens at Award Gala

February 11, 2016 Chris Huppertz
Southern California Public Relations Agency Retained by One of Los Angeles’s Oldest Community Nonprofits Toberman Neighborhood Center, one of the oldest community nonprofits in Los Angeles, announced today it has selected Bob Gold & Associates, a full-service public relations agency, to lead publicity efforts for its Annual Charity Gala at the Long Beach Hyatt on March 26, honoring six-time NFL Pro-Bowler Terrell “TO” Owens with the 2016 Toberman Legends Award. The benefit event will be centered on the theme The Drive “TO” Succeed which will focus on Owens’ philanthropic efforts and celebrate Toberman’s 113 years of community service in lifting children out of poverty and empowering families to live healthy and purposeful lives. Television personality and radio host Petros Papadakis will emcee the event. “We are thrilled to be working with such a philanthropic organization that attracts talent like Terrell Owens,” said Bob Gold, president and owner of Bob Gold & Associates. “This event is not only representative of Terrell’s humanitarian achievements, but also of Toberman’s mission to inspire everyone to make a difference and give back to their communities.” At the gala, attendees will be able to meet one of the NFL’s greatest record-holding stars who played 15 seasons as a wide receiver, and learn about his charitable efforts. As a philanthropist and humanitarian, Owens leads the “What TO Do Global Campaign,” an initiative with the goal of empowering and motivating youth around the world. Past Toberman Gala honorees include John Wooden, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Walton, James Worthy, Vin Scully, Louis Zamperini and Tommy Lasorda. Tickets for the gala can be purchased at www.toberman.org/gala2016. For more information on how to participate, please contact Carter Calhoun at 310.832.1145, ext. 119 or by email at ccalhoun@toberman.org.

ZeeVee Goes Down Under to Expand its Distributor Network in Australia

February 11, 2016 Chris Huppertz
ZeeVee, Inc. (Zv) a global manufacturer of video and signal distribution technology, announced today it has added Audio Visual Distributors PTY LTD as a distributor of its SD-HD RF products, and HD/Ultra-HD/4K over IP video distribution solutions in the Australian and New Zealand markets. “We continually search the globe for innovative partners to help grow our business and Audio Visual Distributors has the right mix of AV expertise and market knowledge to lead the charge for us in Australia and New Zealand,” said Bob Michaels, CEO of ZeeVee. “Focused on the Pro AV channel, Audio Visual Distributors sees tremendous demand for both our ZvPro iSeries and ZyPer4K products in the region. “ “We are pleased that ZeeVee has chosen us to lead their international expansion efforts here in Australia,” said Simon Fourie, managing director, Audio Visual Distributors. “Zv’s innovative products are ahead of their class in capability and innovation and we are excited to represent a market leader in our region that will allow us to break into the realm of networked content.“ Audio Visual Distributors will have access and stock to the full line of ZyPer products in their region. ZyPer is the only solution today that switches and distributes uncompressed Ultra-HD (4K) video, audio, RS232/IR and USB 2.0 control signals leveraging off-the-shelf 10Gb Ethernet switching products. These products offer end customers the ability to future proof their investment with technologies that will scale with their business from SD to Ultra-HD/4k and beyond. Visitors to ISE 2016 in Amsterdam, February 9 – 12 can see demos of Zv’s extensive product family of IP and RF/Coax video distribution equipment in hall 10 at stand N151. About ZeeVee ZeeVee is a global manufacturer of video and signal distribution technology for the ProAV and IT marketplace. As the only manufacturer today that can deliver multimedia content over coax, fiber, and CATx, ZeeVee has transformed the digital video industry with its award-winning, HD to Ultra-HD/4K solutions. The company offers a variety of innovative, cost effective and easy to install distribution platforms. ZeeVee is installed in thousands of facilities worldwide where there is a need to transport HD/UHD content from multiple sources to multiple displays over long distances. For additional information please visit www.zeevee.com

Pub Company Punch Installs ZeeVee’s Video Technology in U.K. Pubs to Provide a Better Entertainment Experience

February 8, 2016 Chris Huppertz
ZeeVee , Inc. (Zv) a global manufacturer of video and signal distribution technology, announced today that Punch, one of the largest leased pub and bar operators in the United Kingdom, is rolling out Zv’s coax video encoding products to their pubs as part of a major refurbishment program. Punch sought to enhance their customer experience by adding a network of screens and projectors to show video from Sky Sports, Free View channels as well as camera feeds from local games showcasing in-house Darts and Pool tournaments. To ensure local expertise, Punch commissioned integrator TVC to deliver a ‘wow’ factor at their pubs, using the highest quality audio visual equipment. TVC, one of the largest providers of audio visual solutions in the U.K., deployed HDbridge2312 and HDbridge2540 video encoders in order to deliver a mix of pristine, digital SD and HD signals to new HD screens and projectors at selected Punch pub locations. “When we first looked at ZeeVee’s products we were impressed by the video quality and ease of set up using their Maestro web based interface,” said Matt Brown, managing director, TVC. “This, combined with the simplicity of a coax installation, meant that we were able to offer a very cost effective and flexible solution to Punch that had no limitation on the total number of screens that could be installed.” “With extensive audio-visual experience and unrivalled customer service, TVC has been an excellent partner for Zv in the U.K.,” said Bob Michaels, CEO, ZeeVee. “Our product offering is well aligned with TVC’s target markets, delivering standard, high definition and Ultra HD video signals to digital displays and TV sets, and also delivering IP video via standards based, off the shelf IT networks and displays,” he added. About ZeeVee ZeeVee is a global manufacturer of video and signal distribution technology for the ProAV and IT marketplace. As the only manufacturer today that can deliver multimedia content over coax, fiber, and CATx, ZeeVee has transformed the digital video industry with its award-winning, HD to Ultra-HD/4K solutions. The company offers a variety of innovative, cost effective and easy to install distribution platforms. ZeeVee is installed in thousands of facilities worldwide where there is a need to transport HD/UHD content from multiple sources to multiple displays over long distances. For additional information please visit www.zeevee.com

Hitachi Consulting Enlists SCTE CTO Daniel Howard to Lead New Initiatives in Sustainability, DOCSIS 3.1 and WiFi/Mobile Service Provider Improvements

February 8, 2016 Chris Huppertz
Hitachi Consulting, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd and a leading provider of IT consulting and management consulting solutions and services, has enlisted Daniel Howard, formerly the Chief Technology Officer of the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), to help design strategies and implement solutions to help telecommunications companies institute new and powerful energy sustainability programs; plan for and implement DOCSIS 3.1 and other next generation access network and overall broadband infrastructure, and to launch exciting new WiFi programs for mobile users. “The cable industry is innovating every day, as is Hitachi Consulting. As we design state-of-the-art implementation plans for innovative telecommunications providers, we could not have found an executive with a better knowledge base than Daniel. He’s already deeply involved in the engineering, business and technical issues of greatest interest priority among service providers,” said Michael McNabb, Senior Vice President for Hitachi Consulting Corporation. Howard brings more than 20 years of experience in cable technology innovation, workforce education, professional development and standards leadership to his role at Hitachi Consulting as director, consulting services; energy solutions. “Broadband access networks and services are evolving faster than ever before and their energy efficiency has become critical to any service providers’ long term success. Hitachi Consulting is the right company with the right solutions for today’s critical needs, and I’m delighted to be part of their amazing team,” said Howard. Since 1990 he has held management roles at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (Sr. Research Engineer); Digital Furnace Corp. (CTO); Broadcom (Technical Director); Quadrock Communications (President and CEO); Motorola Inc. (Systems Architect); and VQLink, Inc. (CTO). Dedicated to educational leadership, Howard co-founded a broadband telecommunications research center at Georgia Institute of Technology. He has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the university on such topics as cable access networks; and he developed a cable workforce management development course in partnership with Georgia Tech.  Most recently, he began and led the development of a complete online curricula and associated training content for SCTE professional development and certifications that has led to over $3M in new revenue for the SCTE, implementing training as a major focus of SCTE activities. He has authored more than 50 reports, refereed journal articles and international technical specifications; and is the lead author of the chapter on cable high-speed Internet access in Broadband Last Mile. He also holds 24 patents in broadband technologies and services. As the first CTO of SCTE, he was responsible for driving the technical leadership, innovation and increased focus on energy efficiency, IP delivery over cable and the integration of wireless technologies into the last-mile access network. He co-authored DOCSIS® 1.1 and 2.0 specifications and was a lead inventor on Broadcom Corp.’s primary DOCSIS 3.0 patent.  Most recently he was a leader in the SCTE Energy 2020 program that seeks to improve energy efficiency across the entire cable footprint. About Hitachi Consulting Corporation Hitachi Consulting is the global management consulting and IT services business of Hitachi Ltd., a global technology leader and a catalyst of sustainable societal change. In that same spirit — and building on its technology heritage — Hitachi Consulting is a catalyst for positive business change, propelling companies ahead by enabling superior operational performance. Working within their existing processes and focusing on targeted functional challenges, we help our clients respond to dynamic global change with insight and agility. Our unique approach delivers measurable, sustainable business results and a better consulting experience. For more information visit: www.hitachiconsulting.com About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society’s challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The company’s consolidated revenues for fiscal 2013 (ended March 31, 2014) totaled 9,616 billion yen ($93.4 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, power systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

At ISE 2016 ZeeVee Further Expands Its European Distributor Network

February 3, 2016 Chris Huppertz
ZeeVee, Inc. (Zv) a global manufacturer of video and signal distribution technology, announced today it has added Comm-tec in Germany and Tukans in the U.K. as distributors of HD/Ultra-HD/4K over IP video distribution solutions. “With the launch of our newest ZyPer IP distribution products at ISE 2016, including the ZyPer4K™ CATx and ZyPerMX, we are seeing increasing global demand for reliable, cost effective video distribution platforms,” said Bob Michaels, CEO of ZeeVee. “We are proud to announce Tukans as a new distributor for the ZyPer line of products in the U.K., focusing on the Pro AV channel. Their expertise in specifying and successfully installing Video over IP systems makes them an ideal distributor for Zv.” “Zv’s ZyPer is a very innovative product family, truly bringing AV and IT together and challenging the conventional use of proprietary AV switches” said Yvonne Womersley, managing director, Tukans. “Like with anything new, there is resistance to change, therefore it was important for Zv to select a knowledgeable AV distributor with exceptional technical support and knowledge in this field. Tukans is definitely ready to take on this challenge.” “As a leading Pan-European distributor of audiovisual communication systems Comm-tec has the presence and manpower to successfully penetrate the marketplace,” said Bob Michaels, CEO of ZeeVee. “There is perfect synergy between ZyPer4 products and Comm-tec’s targeted markets including corporate communication and audio-video equipment, museums, exhibitions, live events and digital signage.” “Zv’s innovative products are ideally suited to complement our existing product offerings targeting systems integrators across Europe,” said Carsten Steinecker, managing director, Comm-tec. “The new ZyPer products will give us a competitive edge as we leverage our strategic partnerships to expand upon our success, strengthening our proposition to the market.” These new distributors will have access and stock to the full line of ZyPer products in their respective regions. ZyPer is the only solution today that switches and distributes uncompressed Ultra-HD (4K) video, audio, RS232/IR and USB 2.0 control signals leveraging off-the-shelf 10Gb Ethernet switching products. These products offer end customers the ability to future proof their investment with technologies that will scale with their business from SD to Ultra-HD/4k and beyond. Visitors to ISE 2016 in Amsterdam, February 9 – 12 can see demos of Zv’s extensive product family of IP and RF/Coax video distribution equipment in hall 10 at stand N151. For additional information please visit www.zeevee.com
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