Top Tech Trends at NAB 2024: Navigate the Future with Insight

February 21, 2024 Beth Braen
In an era where technology evolves at breakneck speed, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for companies looking to make a mark. As we approach NAB 2024, Bob Gold & Associates (BG&A)...

Bob Gold to Moderate Distribution Strategies Panel at StreamTV Growth Summit

February 16, 2024 Beth Braen
Don't miss the StreamTV Growth Summit, a free virtual event on February 20-21, 2024. Bob Gold & Associates President Bob Gold is set to moderate the panel on “Charting the OTT Frontier: A Look at Distribution Strategies, Partnerships and Evolving Services”.   Despite the recent talk about a slowdown in growth, the OTT industry is still forecasted to keep growing in the coming years, reaching 4.2 billion users globally by 2027, according to Statista research. To remain competitive and stay ahead, the strategy employed by OTT service providers must evolve continuously, adapting to the shifting of consumer demands.  During this session, industry leaders from Comcast, DIRECTV Advertising, NBCUniversal and Adeia will look at the future of OTT, key content distribution strategies, emerging partnership models and the opportunities in evolving services like sports streaming.  What does the future hold for content bundling, and what are the potential benefits and ideal candidates for strategic partnerships?  What is the approach to live sports streaming? What key factors are driving the OTT adoption of sport streaming?   Scheduled for Tuesday, February 20 from 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM ET and moderated by Bob Gold, the panelists include Karen Babcock, Vice President, Strategy & Partnerships, Comcast Advertising; Matthew Van Houten, SVP, Product, Operations and Business Development, DIRECTV Advertising; Amy Geary, Senior Vice President, Content Distribution, NBCUniversal; and Christopher Phillips, Senior Director, Advanced R&D, Adeia   About StreamTV Growth Summit The StreamTV Growth Summit features a comprehensive agenda that delves into the dynamic evolution of the streaming landscape. The engaging sessions offer a nuanced overview of key growth areas in the industry. Explore the future of OTT with valuable insights into distribution and partnership strategies, navigating the continued rise of FAST channels, and discovering optimal monetization strategies for content providers. Take a deep dive into the intricate subscriber behavior patterns, choices, and triggers, providing a foundation for crafting effective retention and engagement strategies. Check out the full agenda and secure your spot at: https://bit.ly/4b9aE0f

Cox Mobile Takes on the U.S.: A Telecom Tale of Innovation and Strategy

April 6, 2023 BG&A Staff
In a strategic maneuver to broaden its telecommunications portfolio, Cox Communications initiated a nationwide launch of its mobile service and establish itself as a key player in the competitive US mobile market. The company leveraged the expertise of Bob Gold & Associates to ensure a successful unveiling of its mobile service at two pivotal industry events: CES 2023 in Las Vegas and Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona.   The collaboration between Cox Communications and Bob Gold & Associates was driven by several core objectives: - Generate substantial buzz and secure media coverage for Cox Mobile's nationwide launch. - Position Cox Mobile executives as thought leaders within the telecom sector. - Engage effectively with key media outlets and influencers, ensuring Cox Mobile's launch received extensive coverage.   Launch Announcement at CES 2023   At CES 2023, Bob Gold & Associates executed a strategic media engagement plan, which included hosting a private media breakfast. This event featured a panel with Cox Mobile executives Cox Mobile Senior Vice President Tony Krueck, and Catherine Borda de Castro, AVP Connectivity & Convergence who discussed the service's launch, key industry trends, and Cox Mobile's future roadmap. This setting facilitated meaningful dialogue between Cox executives and leading journalists, laying the foundation for comprehensive launch coverage.   Engagement at Mobile World Congress 2023   The campaign's momentum continued at MWC 2023 in Barcelona, where the firm organized a "Cocktails and Conversation" event. This function, highlighted by the "Converge with Cox Mobile" panel discussion, further elevated Cox Mobile's profile among an international audience. The panel, moderated by Sue Marek and featuring Cox AVP, Strategic Partnerships Daniel Graham and Cox AVP Mobile and Converged Products R.K Gopinath along with Catherine Borda de Castro, offered insights into Cox Mobile's vision and discussed industry trends. Attracting top tier reporters, analysts, and partners, the event facilitated in-depth discussions about Cox's strategic direction and contributions to the industry.   The media strategy executed by Bob Gold & Associates yielded notable achievements: - The campaign secured earned placements in prestigious publications, including Cablefax, CNBC, Light Reading, Mobile World Live, Multichannel News, and TV Technology. - The CES and MWC events played a crucial role in fostering industry engagement and discussions, contributing to the successful launch of Cox Mobile.   Setting the Standard for Effective Media Engagement at Industry Events   The nationwide launch of Cox Mobile, backed by strategic media events and communications, not only underscored Cox Communications' ambitious entry into the mobile market but also underscored its commitment to innovation and customer service. The success of this campaign serves as a testament to the effectiveness of strategic media engagement, thought leadership, and event execution by Bob Gold & Associates and exemplifies how well-planned PR strategies can significantly impact market entry and brand positioning in a highly competitive industry.

Viamedia Sees Record-Setting Midterm Political Ad Spending

May 3, 2022 Beth Braen
Viamedia, the country’s leading independent provider of ad-sales representation to Cable TV Systems saw a record-setting 42% increase in ad spending for Q1 Midterm political advertising.  The triple-digit -- and higher-- growth was seen across all political categories -- including House, Senate, gubernatorial, local races and issues especially in Battle Ground states.   The data was culled from political advertising purchased on more than 60 multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) of various sizes in more than 70 markets.   David Solomon, President & CEO at Viamedia noted, "We have robust insights into the local ad trends around the country. What we’re seeing, so far this season, underscores the reliability of political advertising directed primarily at linear television platforms.”   The company also saw a significant spike in digital political advertising, driving the portion of spending on digital to 18% of the total in first-quarter 2022 – though the digital spending remains dwarfed by linear TV spending.   READ MORE: Viamedia Sees 42% Increase in 1Q Political Ad Spend, Jon Lafayette, Broadcasting & Cable Inside the Beltway: A haven for conservative news, Jennifer Harper, The Washington Times

Research from Commit Reveals How Tech Start-Ups Are Addressing Talent Shortages, Team Building and The Future of Work

April 19, 2022 Beth Braen
Commit, the leading global tech services company focused on custom software and IoT solutions recently released an in-depth report on the 2022 State of Tech Staffing. The survey polled 200 US senior leaders at hi-tech start-ups who had received a Seed, Round A, or Round B investment round of $1M or more over the past six months and included CTOs, CEOs and leadership in HR, Recruitment or Talent, as well as VPs in R&D, Engineering or Technology.     The report addresses the many critical challenges and opportunities faced by tech start-ups today when staffing for success – from talent supply and demand issues to the benefits of remote work, talent sourcing and much more.    Findings that surfaced included that outsourcing for software development at start-ups is expected to increase by 70% between 2022 and 2023. Furthermore, 99% of senior technology and HR leaders today recognize the benefits of remote teams, with 3 of every 4 (75%) seeing an increase in productivity from their remote staff, a clear indication that concerns about remote teams are all but gone.    “The increasing gap between supply and demand for developer talent, along with emerging trends like the growing gig economy, more remote work and the great resignation are driving a need and opportunity to rapidly outsource skilled talent,” said Max Nirenberg, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Director of Commit USA. “This is especially true for startups, who now face enormous growth potential but struggle to scale quickly and efficiently.”    READ MORE: Software Development Outsourcing To Grow 70% by 2023: Report | Toolbox Tech HR Tech Series

Embracing the Full Potential of Wi-Fi 6E

April 4, 2022 Beth Braen
Wi-Fi has become an essential component of the global digital infrastructure. As the backbone of the digital economy, Wi-Fi connectivity is embedded into the way we live and work. And the technology is just getting started.   With Wi-Fi 6 adoption now in full force, the industry expects the technology's improvements to fuel new innovation, especially in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented and virtual reality, and high-definition video streaming. As a result, the global economic value of Wi-Fi will increase from $3.3 trillion in 2021 to $4.9 trillion by 2025, the Wi-Fi Alliance estimates.   As consumers look to upgrade to the new generation of Wi-Fi, they'll expect CSPs to deliver not only on the higher throughput of Wi-Fi 6E but also on improved quality of experience (QoE).   In today’s extremely competitive market where connectivity speed is no longer a differentiator, customers want a lot more from their providers. As emerging technologies such as AR/VR and 8K video streaming take off, consumers will expect to benefit from the full potential of Wi-Fi 6E. Providers that plan smartly and get ahead of the curve will emerge as the market leaders.   Read the full technical paper prepared for the SCTE Technical Journal by Bill McFarland, Chief Technology Officer, Plume Design, Inc.,

Staffing for Success: 6 Questions Every CTO Should Ask

March 8, 2022 Beth Braen
With every tech advancement comes greater complexity, presenting new challenges for chief technology officers.  Ironically, the answer to carrying businesses forward with technology is people, people, people — and orchestrating people can be just as challenging as tech. To help ensure your next development project goes off seamlessly, Commit CRO and Managing Director of North America, Max Nirenberg recently shared his perspective with the Forbes Business Council on six questions every CTO should ask when building a team.   Six Questions Every CTO Should Ask When Staffing For Success (forbes.com)

Cisco Reinforces Commitment to Bridging the Digital Divide

July 30, 2021 Beth Braen
Availability and speed of internet connectivity for individuals or households can greatly affect the quality of education, healthcare, and economic opportunities they receive, as well as access to critical public services.   The pandemic exacerbated the digital divide and brought this urgent problem to the forefront. Cisco and its public and private sector partners believe now is the time for the industry to get together to solve this complex challenge. Recently, Cisco held two panel sessions with industry leaders and partners to discuss the urgent need to close the digital divide and released Cisco U.S. Municipal Infrastructure Index 2021, a report on the infrastructure priorities and challenges facing U.S. municipal leaders. Read more about Cisco's commitment here. Cisco Rural Broadband Innovation Center: Open for Customers and Partners In June, Cisco announced the opening of their Rural Broadband Innovation Center in North Carolina to demonstrate to service providers how they can improve availability and affordability of internet access. Through the Center, Cisco is committed to bridging the gap between commercial viability of technology solutions offered by service providers and the cost of serving rural Americans.   On Monday July 19, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and Senior Vice President and General Manager Cisco Mass-Scale Infrastructure Jonathan Davidson were joined by FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina, and TruVista COO and President, Carla French, to share more about the Innovation Center, and discuss how the private sector and government can change the economics of broadband access in the U.S. Throughout the conversation, it became clear that broadband inequity comes down to two factors: access and cost.   Bridging the Digital Divide with Municipalities   On Thursday July 22, Cisco brought together municipal leaders and technology decision-makers who are working to bridge the digital divide in the U.S. and abroad, ensuring that everyone has equal access to a reliable internet connection. Cisco’s Michael Beesley, Vice President and CTO, Mass-Scale Infrastructure Group, moderated a discussion with Antoinette Meier, Director of Mobility and Innovation at San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), Eugene Mejia, Deputy CTO for Town of Gilbert, Arizona, and Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA).   The panelists discussed the challenges they face as municipal leaders and technology decision-makers. Antoinette Meier noted that reliable data is difficult to come by, and this data is critical to paint a holistic picture of the problem for leaders to address. Broadband is more than being able to access your favorite websites. Technology has fundamentally changed transportation, healthcare, and education, and data is needed to hold leaders accountable to communities. Every panelist discussed funding hurdles while reiterating that connectivity and access are essential to quality of life.   Private-public partnerships present additional opportunities for collaboration of people and organizations with the same goal. With that in mind, SANDAG and Cisco announced a new partnership focused on bridging the digital divide, supporting the development of SANDAG’s Regional Digital Equity Strategy and Action Plan, which seeks to improve high-speed internet access and adoption in areas where there are gaps. Cisco will support SANDAG as a consultant to help identify barriers to broadband expansion and develop strategies and solutions for addressing these barriers in the form of an actionable roadmap. Watch a replay of the virtual roundtable New Research: Cisco U.S. Municipal Infrastructure Index 2021   Cisco released new research to provide a data-driven look at where broadband infrastructure is being prioritized for municipalities across the country. The study, conducted by Probolsky Research, polled local government executives from cities, counties, towns, and Tribal governments of all sizes, in regions across the U.S. Of those surveyed, 80% said broadband is “critical infrastructure” and placed connectivity improvements and upgrades near the top of their priority project list, underscoring the pressing need to close the digital divide.   So, what’s stopping them? The answer will not surprise you: the primary barrier to reliable broadband connectivity is a lack of funding. More than three quarters of officials are concerned about the high cost of broadband for their residents, and 70% said they have ready-to-go projects just waiting for funding allocation.   Read the full report: Cisco: U.S. Municipal Infrastructure Index 2021

PREPARING FOR THE POST COVID ECONOMY

March 31, 2021 Bob Gold
ARE YOU READY FOR A NEW ROARING TWENTIES? The U.S. economy has been pumped up with more than $4 billion from the Feds. That’s a lot of new cash for businesses and consumers to tap into along with support from a whole lot of new technologies. As we inch out of the pandemic, the one thing we know is everything we’ve done to grow before is gonna be different. And successful companies will adapt and evolve at an incredibly faster pace.   What are you doing to grow your business in 2021 in this newest normal? Are you ready with a communications plan that will drive your growth? Have you committed budgets today to building a promising future? Everything is immediate. Patience was so last century. If you haven’t aligned with a PR pro who is in touch with fast changing trends and today’s evolving marketplace, with immediate access to reporters and platforms to elevate your story, perhaps it’s time to do so.   As we hurried to adapt to the crisis spawned by the pandemic, powerful technologies including IoT, Cloud and AI enabled companies to survive and thrive. These technologies accelerated the usage of mRNA technology for creating COVID vaccines. And the same technologies have created an entirely new ecosystem in entertainment creation and delivery to a rethinking of the very definition of work in today’s gig economy. And these same technologies and new work habits are rapidly changing all public relations and marketing tactics and campaigns.   In short, CEO confidence around the country is at a 17-year high. Things are aligning in a surprising way to tell us, this is not the time to hold onto cash; but invest it to build bigger, better businesses that can thrive in a the new roaring 20s.

Women’s History Month Feature – Week 4

March 24, 2021 Beth Braen
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting the female members of the Bob Gold & Associates team. For the week 3 Q&A, we’re featuring Amy Prenner. Consumer and Entertainment Strategist Amy Prenner shares the secret to her success amid the last 12 months and how to keep clients relevant during Covid-19.   The pandemic literally turned every industry upside down. As a PR professional, how did you pivot your efforts? I remember everyone literally in shock and wasn’t sure how to be effective without being together. We were all more concerned about toilet paper and water than the pandemic that would spread throughout the world.   As businesses and clients shifted from their offices to their homes and cell phones, we all began to quickly adapt in a way that has made our business streamlined and even more effective.   Thankfully there are many tools from FaceTime to Zoom to WebEx to Skype that ensure facetime with clients and staff and have helped to keep communications fluid and consistent. Because we aren’t in our cars driving to and from work and events, there have been other benefits, no traffic, no money on gas and no commuting. We have all become much more efficient and effective working from home while tending to our clients that need our expertise.   How do the clients feel as a result of these changes? They love that when we secure TV interviews they can just Zoom or Skype in and don’t have to leave their living room. Securing media relations for Covid-19 related clients has been something that benefits our clients but also helps the media with their coverage. We also notice that we have been able to spend even more one-on-one time with our clients because we are in a more relaxed environment where we can offer media strategies and suggestions that they can absorb and practice so that they are successful in their respective campaigns.   What advice would you give to someone who is looking at a career in PR? Many years ago I used to tell people to go to a newsstand and see where you gravitate. You can do the same thing with a news aggregator like Apple News. If you see what you like whether its fashion, celebrity, home and design, food, politics, etc, you will be able to see where your interests lie. Be open to everything and anything. Read as much as you can. Learn the basics of social media and make sure its something you actually enjoy. If you love what you do in any career you will be a success and its easier to work in an industry you have passion for.   Be sure to read our Women’s History Month Q&A with VP, Beth Braen, from Week 1, Director of Marketing, Roxanne Leone from Week 2 and Associate Account Executive Anabela Savulescu from Week 3.
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