2008 Annual Conference

Join NATOA in Atlanta, Georgia, for the 2008 Annual Conference! Attendance at the Annual Conference will better prepare you to address the myriad of issues facing today’s communications industry and will allow you to equip your community for the challenges ahead. Take advantage of networking opportunities, learn the latest trends and hear from elite industry experts on a variety of “hot topics” affecting the industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to be educated and motivated to take your community to the next level!

Three concurrent topic tracks guide you in designing a personalized program to meet your specific needs. Select a track to follow throughout the conference, or pick and choose from all sessions – the choice is yours.

The Community Networks Track is devoted to the issues surrounding community networks of all types – from public broadband networks to Institutional Networks to free downtown hotspots – and utilizing the full range of technologies – from wireless to fiber to powerline communications. The track focuses on the technological, financial, operational, and legal issues that arise from the efforts of communities to deploy their own networks to meet institutional, business, and citizen needs. You should attend this track if you are considering implementing a communications network – of any size or scope – for your jurisdiction, or if you currently operate an I-Net, WiFi network, or other networking project.

The Policy and Legal Track is designed to help you catch up and keep up with the most pressing policy, legal and regulatory issues concerning today’s communications regulators. Each session is focused on a particular regulatory interest and will fully address your concerns and give guidance on how to transcend policy and litigation issues in your area. Session topics include local, state and federal franchising, right-of-way management, community needs ascertainments, broadband services, and key developments at Congress, the courts and FCC.

The Programming Track will help you produce eye-catching programming for diverse audiences, as well as finding and keeping creative talent and developing ways to put your community’s best foot forward. From marketing your channel to managing your production facility, sessions specifically tailored for programmers will be offered, and enhanced by video presentations. You will also want to attend the Government Programming Awards presentation held on September 20 as the winners of this year’s awards competition are recognized during this special Gala and seated dinner. The All Day Storytelling Workshop will be held on September 20. There is a $25 fee. Sign up using the registration form.

Technology Showcase sessions are presented by conference exhibitors and are a proven way for conference attendees to get hands-on introductions to products and services they may consider using or that will be used in their area. Showcases provide an opportunity to relate product and service capabilities to your needs, bring your questions to the product experts and connect with other attendees that have experience working with the technology. Attendance at the Tech Showcases is free, but you must sign up in advance.

CONFERENCE ATTIRE

Casual business attire is suggested for the conference sessions and the reception. Black tie or cocktail attire is optional for the Government Programming Awards Gala.

HOTEL INFORMATION

NATOA has reserved a block of rooms for conference attendees at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel at the special conference rate of $124 single/$149 double per night plus tax. To reserve a room, call 877-667-7210 or 1-800-HILTONS. You must mention that you are with the NATOA Annual Conference to be assured of receiving NATOA's discounted rate. To guarantee your reservations, please contact the Atlanta Hilton before Tuesday, August 26, 2008. NATOA cannot guarantee availability or rate after that date. Rack rates at the Hilton Atlanta range from $199-239 per night, so it is important to make your reservations early and take advantage of the discounted rate.

The Hilton Atlanta is located at 255 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30303.

TRANSPORTATION

The Hilton Atlanta is located approximately 12 miles from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Taxi service to the hotel from the airport is approximately $30 each way. Shuttle Service is approximately $17 each way. Subway (MARTA) service from the airport terminal to Peachtree Center Station (the closest stop to the hotel) is $1.75 each way.

Cancellation Policy

Full registration fee minus a 25% service charge will be refunded if cancellation is received in writing at NATOA Headquarters no later than Friday, August 29, 2008. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after August 29, 2008. Substitutions are permitted and encouraged in lieu of cancellation. You may fax your cancellation or substitution request to (703) 519-8036.

Sponsorship Opportunities

A number of sponsorship, exhibiting and advertising opportunities are available for this event. For more information or to take advantage of these great opportunities, contact Vicki Storey at (703) 519-8034.

The Following Conference Program Details Are Subject To Change

Tuesday, September 16

3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. — NATOA 2007-2008 Board of Directors Meeting

6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. — Conference Registration Open

TBA — Joe Laposa Golf Tournament
Back by popular demand, the Joe Laposa Golf Tournament will be held on Tuesday, September 16. The tournament will include roundtrip transportation. The cost is $100 per person. Club rentals are separate.

Wednesday, September 17

10:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M. — Conference Registration Open

11:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. — First Time Attendees Orientation Program

12:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. — Exhibit Hall Set-Up

12:45 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. — Board of Directors Lunch and Meeting with Chapter Presidents

2:00 P.M. - 3:15 P.M. — Primers
Each track has a primer session for those new to the field. These sessions are general introductions that will help you jumpstart your understanding of the big picture and increase the benefit of the track sessions to come. There is no extra charge for the primer sessions, but you must register in advance (check the appropriate block on the registration form).

Community Networks Track - Community Broadband Technology Primer
Had enough jargon? This session will provide attendees with a working knowledge of community broadband terms, technologies, facilities, and architectures, focusing on fiber optic and wireless networks. Learn the basics about the state of the art, and where we may be headed. (A glossary will be provided.)

Policy & Legal Track - Local Franchising Status and Trends: A Primer
Confused about the FCC Franchising Orders and the new franchising rules they’ve created? Learn what’s in the Orders, the 6^th Circuit appeal and FCC reconsideration petitions. Then ask a panel of experts specific questions about how the Orders are affecting negotiations, local franchising, and payment of PEG fees by cable operators.

Programming Track - Moving Beyond the Meeting
How do you produce programming that both viewers and elected officials love? Speakers will show you examples of how they achieve that balance.

3:15 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. — Refreshment Break

3:15 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. — 28th Annual Business Meeting Voting Credentials Issued

3:45 P.M. - 5:45 P.M. — 28th Annual Business Meeting
Please use the registration form to indicate your intent to attend the meeting.

6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. — LFA Only Roundtable Meetings
This is the opportunity for the local franchise authorities in attendance at the conference to gather in small groups according to their cable service provider and discuss issues affecting their communities. This session is restricted to local government and their advisors and will serve as the planning session for the LFA-Operator Roundtable Meetings being held on Friday.

Thursday, September 18

7:30 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. — Conference Registration Open

7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. — Continental Breakfast

7:30 A.M. - 4:15 P.M. — Exhibit Hall Open

8:15 A.M. - 9:45 A.M. — Concurrent Sessions

Community Networks Track - Community Broadband Infrastructure Models
Municipal ownership? Public private partnership? Nonprofit? Acquisition of infrastructure? Communities have taken a range of approaches to putting together broadband systems, reflecting their particular environment (financial, political, legal and geographic). This session will include case studies and lessons learned from several different community broadband scenarios.

Policy & Legal Track - Video Franchising: Regulating in a Competitive Environment
The world is changing - again. How does competition change the way we regulate video and how is it beneficial? Explore how competition from phone companies, competitive cable operators, and municipal operators is changing life for regulators and consumers.

Programming Track - Government Access Technology for Dummies
There are no dumb questions... especially when you’re dealing with technology. Learn the in’s and out’s of video technology that can make your channel shine.

9:45 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. — Refreshment Break
Visit the Exhibit Floor with dedicated time to see the latest and greatest in technology and services.

10:00 A.M. - 11:30 P.M. — Opening General Session

Why America Needs More Broadband: Promoting Economic Development, Sustainability, and Community Interests

After years of indifference, policy makers, pundits, and the public realize that the United States needs faster more available broadband. But how should the key issues of our time–economic development, global warming, education–drive our national policies toward this goal? And how should our success in increasing bandwidth be measured? In bits and bytes, or in the ways the new bandwidth serves public interest goals such as economic growth, sustainability, and workforce preparedness? This panel of experts will offer views on these factors from a range of perspectives.

11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. — Exhibitor Showcase
Visit the Exhibit Floor with dedicated time to see the latest and greatest in technology and services.

12:30 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. General Session Luncheon & Panel Discussion

The Future of Communications: What is Coming in a New Administration–and Beyond?

The New Administration is right around the corner - which means a new President, new FCC Commissioners and new Congress. How will these changes affect the communications industry in the near-term and what can we expect for the future? This distinguished panel will offer range perspectives from Washington, Wall Street, Silicon Valley and the public interest community in preparation for Election Day 2008.

2:30 P.M. - 3:45 P.M. — Tech Showcase - TelVue Corporation
TelVue Corporation is a broadcast technology company serving hyperlocal television channels, providing them with professional visual appeal, simplified workflow solutions and affordable pricing options. Learn about PEG.TV™, an internet based Video-on-Demand (VoD) and Streaming Video service developed specifically for community television stations. With our newest feature PEG.TV™, local stations will be able to make their video programming easily accessible to their respective communities via the internet to augment their cable broadcasts.

(There is no extra charge for the Tech Showcases, but advance registration is required. Check appropriate box on the registration form.)

3:45 P.M. - 4:15 P.M. — Refreshment Break
Visit the Exhibit Floor with dedicated time to see the latest and greatest in technology and services.

4:15 P.M. - 5:45 P.M. Concurrent Sessions

Community Networks Track - Grassroots Wireless and You
Grassroots, ad hoc wireless projects have taken off in various cities around the world, and equipment makers such as FON and Meraki believe it can happen here. Can or should municipalities rely on them? This session will explore the characteristics, capabilities, promises and limitations of such networks.

Policy & Legal Track - Broadband: An Essential Service?
What factors made traditional public utilities essential services? Does broadband have those same factors? If so, should it be regulated under the same legacy framework or a different framework? Which regulatory framework will benefit consumers, public interest agencies and businesses the most?

Programming Track - Size Doesn’t Matter - Big Time Programming From a Small Staff
So, you say your budget is too small for good programming? Wrong! Learn from these experts ways for a small staff to produce big-time programming that’ll make heads turn.

6:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. — Exhibit Hall Open

6:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. — Welcome Reception in Exhibit Hall

Friday, September 19

7:30 A.M. - 3:30 P.M. — Conference Registration Open

7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. — Continental Breakfast

7:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. — Exhibit Hall Open

8:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. — Concurrent Sessions

Community Networks Track - Public Safety Wireless Present and Future
700 MHz, 4.9 GHz, WiFi, WiMax? - Providing for the safety of the public is a core responsibility of local governments, and public safety applications are a key component of many community wireless networks. Learn how some inventive communities are using the latest community wireless technology to enhance the capabilities of first responders, as well as opportunities and challenges for municipalities relating to the 700 MHz auction.

Policy & Legal Track - FCC: Media and the Public Interest
Set-top boxes, a la carte pricing, media ownership, and service delivery options are just a few of the issues where local government and public interest groups share common ground. Learn more about these issues and how we can work together to protect consumer interests.

Programming Track - Government Access on the Web
Everybody else is doing it, so why not PEG channels? Television and the Internet go hand in hand in the 21st Century. Learn from the pros the right way to be on the Web and make your audience grow.

10:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. — Refreshment Break
Visit the Exhibit Floor with dedicated time to see the latest and greatest in technology and services.

10:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. — General Session

PEG 2.0: What Does Local Programming Look Like In The Era Of YouTube, SecondLife, And MySpace?

Programmers around the country are working to develop technical and business strategies that look to PEG’s future in an environment of rapid-paced technological shifts and convergence. This panel of new media visionaries will describe and demonstrate technology paradigms beyond those traditional for access programming–including virtual reality, user-generated video, and social media–and explore how they can serve traditional PEG values of localism, local interests, and local programming.

12:00 P.M. - 1:30 P.M. — Lunch on Own

12:00 P.M. - 1:30 P.M. — Tech Showcase - Granicus

1:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.-- Master’s Classes Any registered attendee is welcome to attend the Master’s Classes; however, you must register in advance (check the appropriate block on your registration form).

Community Networks Track - Making a Case for Community Broadband
What are the quantifiable benefits of community broadband? What should be included in the equation, beyond subscription fees (if any)? This session will focus on applications for municipal broadband systems, providing answers to the question: “what will we use it for?”, and will also address other difficult-to-quantify benefits such as economic development, environmental sustainability, public safety and quality of life.

Policy & Legal Track - Right-of-Way Management Master’s Class
A review of the latest developments in St. Louis v. Level3, XO Nashville, cost-based right-of-way valuation, and pole attachment cases. Learn what it takes to be in compliance with current law and how to think out of the box. Hear expert insight on resourceful right-of-way management, cost analysis, and use of police powers to address communications facilities placed in the public rights-of-way.

Programming Track - How to Survive and Prosper in Today’s PEG Marketplace
Operating a PEG channel can be like navigating a minefield. Learn tips from these pros on how not only to survive but thrive in the ever-changing PEG environment.

3:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. — Refreshment Break

3:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. — LFA and Cable Operator Roundtable Meetings
These sessions are the opportunity for the representatives from local franchise authorities and their advisors to meet with the national representatives from their cable service providers and discuss issues of mutual concern. These sessions are open only to the LFAs and the representatives from the respective cable systems.

5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. — Chapter Meetings

Saturday, September 20

7:30 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. — Conference Registration Open

7:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. — Exhibit Hall Open

7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. — Continental Breakfast

8:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. — Concurrent Sessions

Community Networks Track - Paying for Community Broadband
What is involved in funding a community broadband project? There are various financial tools that can enable a capital-intensive municipal broadband deployment, and many considerations in gauging its sustainability. With perspectives from bond experts, business model consultants, and experienced municipal officials, this session will explore the key issues and hurdles, and offer some creative options.

Policy & Legal Track - State Franchising; Working With State Agencies & State Legislation
Many states have enacted statewide video franchising legislation. Explore what local governments can do to help state agencies continue to protect consumer rights, build-out, PEG, I-Net, and right-of-way management. Exchange tips on seeking amendments to state legislation, learn which statutory changes are worth fighting for, and get an update on pending state battles.

Programming - Day Long Storytelling Workshop
Don Cash and Ron Kabele produce a weekly magazine show for the award-winning Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. They serve as producer, photographer, editor and writer of their program, distributed through PBS outlets and government access channels throughout the country. As a result, they are experts at working with very limited budgets and within the structure of a governmental entity. Spend the day with Don and Ron learning the tricks of the trade including what to do when the unexpected happens, how to produce great videos as a “Jack-of-All-Trades,” and how to assemble your footage to turn the ordinary into extraordinary.

Storytelling Workshop I - Pre-Production Workshop
Learn how intense pre-production can pave the way for a successful video. We’ll discuss how events in the field seldom work out as planned, and how no amount of preparation can replace a producer’s ability to find an unexpectedly interesting angle to a story and then have the confidence to “go with it.” Often, this seat-of-our-pants mentality leads to our best stories.
(There is a charge of $25 for this all day workshop. Check appropriate box on the registration form.)

10:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. — Refreshment Break
Visit the Exhibit Floor with dedicated time to see the latest and greatest in technology and services.

10:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. — Concurrent Sessions

Community Networks Track - Privacy and Community Broadband
With the emergence of more and more broadband applications that could be considered “invasive,” such as location-based advertising and video surveillance, the topic of privacy inescapably emerges in national, state and local policy debates relating to broadband. For community broadband in particular, a tension may exist between open government requirements and cutting-edge municipal broadband applications. Hear from a variety of national privacy experts as they discuss the issues and possible solutions to consider.

Policy & Legal Track - Community Needs Ascertainments; Not Just for Cable Anymore
A cable-related needs assessment is invaluable. Shouldn’t every community assess its communications-related community needs and interests as well? Upstream speeds and infrastructure, live call-in council telecasts, wi-fi, Web 2.0, competition, demand for services, etc. Learn how to undertake a communications ascertainment which can serve as the plan foundation for your community’s future communications needs. Plus, learn about building partnerships with private and educational stakeholders to finance your ascertainment.

Programming Track - Storytelling Workshop II - Production Workshop
Like it or not, the one-person crew is here to stay. So how can you be a Jack-of-All-Trades and still produce great videos? We’ll tell you how we turn “working solo” into a huge advantage, as long as we’re willing to think out-of-the-box along the way.
(There is a charge of $25 for this all day workshop. Check appropriate box on the registration form.)

12:00 P.M. - 1:45 P.M. — General Session and Keynote Luncheon

The Future of the Internet

Special Guest speaker to discuss the vision for the future as well as what the Internet of the next generations and beyond will look like and be capable of. A glimpse into the world of technological advances and advantages that our grandchildren may enjoy.

12:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. — Exhibit Teardown

2:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M. — Concurrent Sessions

Community Networks Track - State Broadband Strategic Initiatives
While a national broadband strategy continues to be debated, states across the country are already embarking on a wide variety of initiatives to facilitate the deployment of affordable, world-class broadband. Come hear about what has worked, what hasn’t, and the prospects for real progress.

Policy & Legal Track - Congress, the Courts and the FCC: Key Developments A review of federal legislative actions in the Courts, on Capitol Hill and other issues which have or may arise before the FTC or FCC. Topics to be discussed will include the appeal of the FCC video franchising orders, net neutrality and community broadband legislation, consumer issues, media ownership, and universal service.

Programming Track - Storytelling Workshop III - Editing Workshop
No matter how good your footage is, if you don’t bring it all together, you could end up with a flat, uninteresting production. We’ll show you examples of some tricks we’ve learned that take an ordinary story and make it extraordinary - and award winning.
(There is a charge of $25 for this all day workshop. Check appropriate box on the registration form.)

3:45 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. — Policy and Legal Committee Meeting

6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. — GPA Banquet Ticket Table Open

6:30 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. — 23rd Annual Government Programming Awards Gala
(Black-tie optional)
Table Seating 7:00 P.M.
Plated Dinner Served

Sunday, September 21

10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. — Conference Registration Open

10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. — 2008 - 2009 Board of Directors Meeting

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