Deborah D. McAdams / 01.03.2013 12:49PM
FCC’s Ajit Pai, Rep. John Barrow, to Keynote 20th ACA Washington Summit
Event to take place March 12-14
PITTSBURGH
– Independent cable operators will gather
in Washington, D.C., in March to celebrate the American Cable Association’s 20th
Anniversary Summit.
“ACA Members set
out 20 years ago to become the authentic and respected voice of an independent
cable community determined to influence communications policy in Washington,
D.C. Though much works lies ahead, ACA has changed the tone and substance
of the public policy debate for the better because media giants now know they
cannot escape the strong and committed voice of our members,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said.
Rep. John Barrow of Georgia and Commissioner Ajit Pai of
the Federal Communications Commission will provide keynote addresses at the event, schduled for March 12-14 event. ACA said more speakers will be announced in the weeks to come.
Pai is scheduled to have a one-on-one discussion with ACA’s Polka on
Wednesday, March 13, while Rep. Barrow will speak the following day, delivering
that morning’s Congressional Address moments before hundreds of ACA Members
head to Capitol Hill to discuss a range of issues. The group is particularly active on retransmission consent and the cost of sports programming. Rep. Barrow, a
Democrat, is currently serving his fifth term representing Georgia's 12th
Congressional District. He serves on the House Energy and Commerce
Committee, which has oversight authority over the FCC and the communications
industry at large, including independent cable operators. Rep. Barrow is
also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and currently
serves as the group's Policy Co-Chair.
Pai,
nominated to the FCC by President Barack Obama, was confirmed unanimously by
the U.S. Senate on May 7, 2012. One week later, he was sworn in for a
term that concludes on June 30, 2016. From 2007 to 2011, Pai held several
positions in the FCC's Office of General Counsel, including Deputy General
Counsel. Pai has also worked on Capitol Hill, first as Deputy Chief
Counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on
Administrative Oversight and the Courts, and later as Chief Counsel to the
Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights,
and Property Rights.
The ACA Summit will
take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. The organizaion is currently seeking exhibitors and
sponsors for the event. Interested parties should contact Stacey Leech at
sleech@americancable.org or 412.922.8300, ext. 15. Further information
about the ACA Summit 2013 agenda and the exciting lineup of speakers will be
made available on the ACA Summit 2013 website closer to the time of the event. Registration is available at the ACA website.