• by Wayne Friedman , November 5, 2012

The cable industry's main marketing group -- The Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) -- will stop its major annual event, as well as other events at the end of 2012.

Char Beales, president/CEO of CTAM, told Multichannel News the big events have become unsustainable now that several multiple system operators have rapidly consolidated their marketing organizations -- as well as network programmers closing affiliate sales offices.

All that means fewer cable industry marketing people. In response, Beales said CTAM would restructure around smaller and more frequent meetings. "In a fast-moving industry like cable… to get together once a year seemed outdated."

CTAM will also use other events -- in partnership -- to grab attention. Senior cable operator company's chief marketing officers and TV network marketing executives will hold a significant meeting the 2013 International CES in January.

In conjunction with these news, CTAM will lay off about one-fourth of its employees by the end of 2012. The recent CTAM Insights and Summit Conference was held last month in Orlando. On its Web site, the group says it has 90 corporate members.