Also, anyone who missed this earlier press release from IATV should read this guy's credentials:
biz.yahoo.com
Thursday August 26, 1:00 pm Eastern
Time
Company Press Release
ACTV's Richard
Barron Honored With
First Annual CTAM Texas Pinnacle
Award
Pioneer of Regional Sports Television Lauded at
CTAM Texas' Second Annual Programmer CEO
Roundtable
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 26, 1999-- 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
cable and 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 they deserve.''
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
every front -- 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 well as their expectations for the future.
ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: IATV - news), 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 the emergence 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 -
news, LMG.B - news) and General Instrument Corporation (NYSE:
GIC - news). ACTV Entertainment and HyperTV Networks, Inc.,
are subsidiaries of ACTV, Inc. Visit ACTV's Web site at
actv.com.
Contact:
Bratskeir & Company, New York
Mike Rosen, 212/679-2233, ext. 213
I'm glad this guy is working for ACTV and it shows the quality of people who are behind the company. As you may know, CEO Bill Samuels has stated on several occasions that ACTV has the ability to become one of the largest media companies in the world. Can you imagine where the stock price will be if he is right? |
