(COMTEX) B: ACTV's Richard Barron Honored With First Annual CTAM Texa
B: ACTV's Richard Barron Honored With First Annual CTAM Texas Pinnacle Award
DALLAS, Aug 26, 1999 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Pioneer of Regional Sports Television Lauded at
CTAM Texas' Second Annual Programmer CEO Roundtable
CTAM Texas, the local chapter of CTAM -- the Cable &
Telecommunications Association for Marketing -- today announced it has
awarded ACTV's Richard (Dick) Barron with the CTAM Texas Pinnacle
Award. Mr. Barron was presented with the first annual award in
recognition of his more than 25 years of service to the cable industry,
and his instrumental role in creating the regional sports television
network model that is now prevalent nationwide. The annual CTAM Texas
Pinnacle Award will be given to individuals whose long-term
achievements have made a difference to the Texas cableand
telecommunications industry.
Mr. Barron helped start regional sports television with the launch of
Home Sports Entertainment (HSE) in Houston, Texas. As HSE's executive
vice president and general manager, Barron was responsible for the
day-to-day operation of the network which covered the NBA's Houston
Rockets and MLB's Houston Astros at its launch in 1983. He was also
instrumental in the launch of a variety of regional sports networks
that are now key components of FOX Sports Net,including Prime Ticket,
Prime Sports Northwest, Prime Sports Rocky Mountain and the Sunshine
Network.
Currently senior vice president and general manager of regional
networks for ACTV Entertainment, Barron is now using his vast
experience to take the regional sports television business into the
digital age. In his present role, Barron is overseeing the development
and launch of ACTV's digital regional sports networks, featuring sports
programming enhanced by ACTV's patented "Individualized Television"
digital capabilities.
"We're thrilled to honor Dick with the first CTAM Texas Pinnacle Award,
recognizing his many years of hard work, ingenuity and dedication to
the cable industry," said Sue Saxenmeyer, president of CTAM Texas.
"Texas has a history of home grown heroes, and the CTAM Texas Pinnacle
Award will ensure that local industry heroes such as Dick receive the
acknowledgment theydeserve."
Dale Bennett, vice president of AT&T Cable Services, and a member of
the board of directors of CTAM Texas, said: "Dick and I have known each
other for more than 20 years. Earlier in our careers, I would sometimes
see him five days a week as we pitched against each other for the
rights to local cable franchises in Houston. Now, 20 years later, we're
working together to deliver cutting-edge digital programming to
consumers. Dick has served our industry on everyfront -- as an
operator, a programmer, a content creator, an ad salesman -- and across
multiple functions, platforms, companies and technologies. He continues
to evolve with our industry, and I applaud CTAM Texas for honoring my
good friend for his many years of achievement."
"Dick is one of the best," said David Reese, president and chief
operating officer of ACTV, Inc. "He carries with him a wealth of
experience and information that is simply astounding, and invaluable to
our company as we create new frontiers in the industry. It is a
pleasure to call him my friend and colleague, and I can think of no one
more deserving of this award than Dick."
Additional highlights from Barron's career include:
- Launched the first 24-hour Spanish-language sports network in the
U.S. and Latin America in 1995 -- Prime Deportiva -- which is now
operating as FOX Sports World Espanol.
- In 1990, formed TransMedia Communications, a sports consulting
firm specializing in assisting media companies, sports
franchises, sports leagues, and individuals on appraisal of
rights fees, new business development, negotiations,
acquisitions, and research.
- In 1988, named president of SportsCom, the satellite transmission
facility for the former Prime Network's owned-and-operated
regional sports services. SportsCom is considered the world's
most sophisticated transmission operations.
- Served as executive vice president of Gulf Coast Cable Television
(now Time Warner) in Houston. The system grew from 3,300
subscribers to 100,000 subscribers under Barron's leadership.
- In 1975, joined Telemation Program Service as central manager of
its stand-alone pay television service, which as eventually
acquired by Home Box Office (HBO). Barron was one of HBO's most
successful regional managers.
- Credited with starting the first pay cable operation in Texas
while serving as general manager of Pasadena Cable in 1973. Also
produced a successful all-sports channel featuring the Houston
Aeros of the World Hockey Association, the Houston Rockets of the
NBA, and World Team Tennis coverage.
The presentation of the CTAM Texas Pinnacle Award was made during
CTAM Texas' Second Annual Programmer CEO Roundtable, which featured
industry luminaries Kate McEnroe, president of AMC Networks; Mark
Rosenthal, president and chief operating officer of MTV Networks; and
John Ford, president of Discovery Health Media. The topic of the
roundtable was "Content and Convergence: Creating Tomorrow's Viewing."
Noted cable industry veteran Lou Borrelli served as moderator for the
event.
CTAM Texas, with approximately 300 members, is a statewide chapter of
the national marketing society of the cable and telecommunications
industry, CTAM (Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing).
The group holds CEO Roundtable events for operators and programmers to
give its members unique insight into what cable executives think about
current trends and events, as wellas their expectations for the future.
ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: IATV), is a leader in interactive digital
television with its proprietary "Individualized Television" and
"Individualized Advertising" software and programming capabilities. The
company has also pioneered TV-Internet convergence programming with its
patented HyperTV(TM) software solution. ACTV offers superior, practical
solutions for television programmers, advertisers, cable operators,
educators, and consumers seeking to leverage theemergence of digital
television and the broadband delivery infrastructure.
ACTV has relationships with many of the dominant players in the
Internet, television and digital technology fields, including key
strategic investments from Liberty Media Group (NYSE: LMG.A, LMG.B) and
General Instrument Corporation (NYSE: GIC). ACTV Entertainment and
HyperTV Networks, Inc., are subsidiaries of ACTV, Inc. Visit ACTV's Web
site at actv.com.
Copyright (C) 1999 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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