Sound & Video Contractor Extra News

Mar 14, 2005 1:46 PM

NSCA Education Foundation Announces a New President
The NSCA Education Foundation elected Tony Price as the new president at this year’s annual board meeting. This is the first time since the foundation’s inception that a manufacturer has served in the role of president. Price has served on the foundation board for two years and has been actively involved in the pursuit of higher education for members of the industry. Price has been in the industry more than 20 years and is currently the director of business development at Telex Communications in Burnsville, Minn.

“I consider it a true honor to have been elected president of the NSCA Education Foundation,” says Price. “I sincerely believe that education is of paramount importance to the vitality of our industry, and I am proud to be a part of a charitable organization that stands to take a lead role in driving so many crucial initiatives.”

In addition to Price, the newly elected foundation officers include Vice President Tom Frericks, president/CEO of Copp Systems Integrators in Dayton, Ohio, and secretary/treasurer Loyd Ivey, CEO and founder of Mitek Corporation in Phoenix, Ariz.

Frericks has been involved in the low-voltage contracting and service industry for the past 26 years and served as volunteer to the NSCA for the past 15, including the role of president of the NSCA board.

A member of our industry for more than 30 years, Ivey is the founder and CEO of Mitek Corporation, a leading privately held U.S. manufacturer of high-performance car, home, professional, and commercial audio products.

“The Foundation has played a vital role in advancing the commercial electronics industry through education initiatives,” says Chuck Wilson, executive director, NSCA. “We are excited for this new leadership group and look forward to the future direction they will provide.”

Real Digital Media and Magic Media Networks Team to Launch National GYM TV Digital Signage Network
The Real Digital Media (RDM) and Magic Media Networks announced the official national launch of Gym TV destination television. Using RDM’s family of Neocast digital signage products, Magic Media Networks previously launched the GYM TV destination television across 40 premium Gold’s Gyms and World Gyms throughout Florida. Magic Media Networks is now funding the health-and-fitness digital signage network’s expansion across the United States. The network intends to encompass a minimum of 1000 premium health and fitness locations combined with a minimum of 14 national advertisers. Gym TV will air first-run Hollywood movie previews, music videos, fitness, sports entertainment, and leisure advertisements.

“We are extremely excited about the national rollout of Gym TV,” states Ken Goldberg, CEO of Real Digital Media. “The vision behind this network clearly demonstrates the flexibility, scalability, and precision of our Neocast product line to help partners like Magic Media Networks drive the value of advertiser-supported narrowcast networks to their customers.”

The digital signage industry is growing at a rapid rate as the promise of delivering targeted advertising, promotions, and corporate communication messages continues to hit the mark with retail, hospitality, and food service industries.

“This is a very hot industry,” says Neal Weinstock of Weinstock Media Analysis (WMA), a consulting practice that produces syndicated and private market studies and analyses, specializing in the television and professional video industries. “Our firm has measured the opportunity in ad-supported digital signage at over 140 percent growth in 2004, and we think it can continue to grow strongly over the next few years. Companies like Real Digital Media are helping to continue this trend.”

Customers like Magic Media Networks are also helping to push digital signage network growth.

"Our vision is to own and operate premium digital signage and private television networks in high traffic leisure destinations,” says Gordon Scott Venters, president/CEO, Magic Media Networks. “In order to achieve this, we needed to make not only a capital investment but a strategic investment in a credible partner. Real Digital Media’s Neocast products won on both accounts. Not only are their products cost-effective, but their extreme reliability and scalability ensures our networks are up and running, serving both our advertisers and target audience."

“GYM TV delivers added value to our clientele because the network’s vision aligns with the active lifestyle promoted by Gold’s Gym,” says Drew Chesler, president of Gold’s Gym South Beach, located in Miami, Fla. “Gold’s members run over 550,000 miles a day, bike 235,000 miles a day, and lift 3.6 billion pounds a day. They are on the move, and GYM TV provides them with information on how to enhance their fitness, as well as provide them with entertainment programming during a workout.”

AES Names Martin Porter Associates Business Development Consultant
The Audio Engineering Society (AES) has named Martin Porter Associates business development consultant in charge of attendee marketing and exhibit sales for the 119th AES Convention & Pro Audio Expo in New York, Oct. 7 to 10, 2005.

"As the world's largest, dedicated pro audio convention, we are planning an aggressive marketing and sales initiative this year to make our New York event the biggest and most effective for our attendees, exhibitors and our society," says Roger Furness, AES executive director.

Having attracted more than 15,000 attendees to last year's convention in San Francisco, the AES is already the nation's most significant and prestigious gathering of pro audio end users. With almost 300 exhibitors already signed up, this year’s convention, themed "Where Audio Comes Alive," is expected to be one of the largest in AES history.

Technology developments in home recording, music technologies, sound reinforcement/systems, and broadcast audio have made the potential attendee base for this year's show larger than ever before. As such, the AES Program Committee is developing an entirely new and relevant line-up of conferences, workshops, and tours that will attract large numbers of users and dealers to the show this year.

For the first time, dedicated on-the-floor pavilions for sound reinforcement, music technologies, DJ, house of worship, and car audio are being planned. As part of the show's marketing efforts, Martin Porter Associates will be reaching out to a range of new media and trade organizations to attract even greater numbers of customers and conference attendees.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in the business of building market-leading media properties, Martin Porter recently announced the relaunch of his company—Martin Porter Associates. Porter's original firm, MP&A Editorial, was acquired by CMP parent United Business Media in 1999, where Porter subsequently served as senior vice president/publishing director of the Entertainment Technology Group, the industry's largest portfolio of magazines, websites, and events in the audio, video, systems, and music markets.

"As the nation's preeminent audio show, the AES is where excellence in sound is the exclusive focus and concern," says Porter. "This convention already attracts the most influential audience from around the world. Today the AES is ready to ride the wave of new technology developments and audio applications. I'm excited that one of my new company's first initiatives is the opportunity to help build this brand and provide the pro audio market with an international event that truly addresses its specific needs."

To participate in building the 119th AES Convention & Pro Audio Expo in New York in October contact Martin Porter at (516) 767-6720 or map@aes.org

NEC Display Solutions Ranked #1 Standalone LCD Monitor Provider for 2004
NEC Display Solutions of America announced its ranking as the #1 best-selling standalone LCD monitor provider in the United States for 2004, according to iSuppli's quarterly monitor reports.

Despite fierce competition and notable price erosion in the LCD monitor market in 2004, NEC maintained its top ranking by introducing competitively priced new lines of AccuSync and MultiSync branded desktop displays, delivering productivity-enhancing technologies, and maintaining an industry-leading level of quality and reliability. To further nurture the loyalty of its customers and channel partners, the company also expanded its service programs and environmental initiatives to help reduce support costs and provide comprehensive e-waste recycling solutions.

"Our customers are loyal to NEC LCD desktop monitors because they deliver excellent front-of-screen performance, unparalleled reliability, and a total cost of ownership that ranks among the lowest in the industry," says Andres Maldonado, NEC Display Solutions director of product marketing. "NEC understands that in order to maintain this loyalty year after year we must strive to continuously innovate by developing products and programs that further enhance our customers' visual experiences."

A significant factor in NEC's achievement was its strong relationship with channel partners. "We could not have accomplished what we did last year without the help of our retail, distribution, and reseller partners," says Clark Brown, NEC Display Solutions vice president of sales. "They were and will continue to be a critical component to our success."

Abe Jacob Announces Schedule For Broadway Sound Master Classes
Theater sound design legend Abe Jacob has announced the full schedule for the third annual Broadway Sound Master Classes, to be held June 22 to 24 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York City.

This year's lineup includes topics as diverse as the rise of the jukebox musical ("Mamma Mia," "Good Vibrations," "Lennon") and what it means to sound designers; sound optimization for the theater; source-oriented reinforcement; communication needs for large events; and even a sneak peek at the design for the upcoming musical production of "The Lord of the Rings." There will also be an in-depth look at the sound for the new Broadway musical "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," designed by Andrew Bruce and Simon Baker. Other speakers include Peter Fitzgerald ("La Cage aux Folles," "Movin' Out") and Brian Ronan ("All Shook Up").

"This lineup is designed to help address the challenges of both working and aspiring sound professionals in the theater, be they school, community, regional, or large-scale productions," says David Johnson, associate publisher/editorial director of Entertainment Design, producer of the BSMC. "Once again, Abe has assembled the top theater sound designers in the country in one setting, providing an extraordinary opportunity for theater artisans to listen, learn,and interact with the masters."

All BSMC attendees will attend a performance of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" on June 23, as well as the annual Entertainment Design EDDY Awards, honoring the best in people and products in entertainment technology, on June 22. New low-cost prices for the event include $595 for professionals, $395 for union/association members, and $300 for students.

For more information, contact David Johnson at (212) 204-181