CASBAA Sets New Location for 2016 Convention

HONG KONG: CASBAA has announced that its 2016 convention will be held in Macau at Studio City from November 7 to 10.

“It will be the first time CASBAA has ever held an event in Macau, and we are thrilled to be able to bring the region’s pay-TV industry together to experience all that this exciting enclave has to offer,” said CASBAA CEO Christopher Slaughter.

The convention will feature two days of conference plenary sessions, keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, networking opportunities and social activities. Topics will include best business practices, emerging market trends, technological developments, new programming strategies and offerings, and the broadcast regulatory landscape in the region. The event will also feature CASBAA’s annual policy roundtable and executive roundtable.

Sompan Charumilinda, the chairman of CASBAA’s board of directors, said: “The board has overwhelmingly endorsed the move to Macau, as part of the association’s ongoing efforts to keep our annual convention fresh and invigorating. We are confident delegates, speakers and sponsors will find that the new venue and location will both contribute to another excellent CASBAA Convention. Furthermore, Studio City provides us with a bigger footprint for the Convention than we’ve ever experienced, which will offer many advantages for networking functions and private meeting rooms that our delegates are sure to enjoy.”

“The CASBAA Convention has always been a great opportunity for senior executives from across the region and around the world to come together, strategically timed to be the most important industry event in the fourth quarter of the year,” added co-board member responsible for the convention Todd Miller. “This year, by choosing Macau’s Studio City, we’re adding a certain ‘show-biz’ quality to the event.”

Property president of Studio City, JD Clayton, said, “We’re very delighted to welcome CASBAA to Macau for the very first time. As a Hollywood-inspired and cinematically-themed integrated resort, Studio City is definitely the perfect venue for the CASBAA Convention. We look forward to collaborating with CASBAA to create a successful event this year and to showcase the unrivaled excitement of Studio City, Asia’s Entertainment Capital, to the participating delegates, in addition to our TV studio facility for production-oriented attendees.”

“This year, we are making a concerted effort to ensure that all the links in the value chain are present at the convention,” said Amit Malhotra, co-board member responsible for the convention. “In particular, we’re working together to bring a critical mass of operators from across the region to Macau.”

“With a host of new market entrants, new business models, and ongoing disruption and technological innovation, the industry is embracing change at a deep level,” commented Slaughter. “The convention will present a wide array of eminent speakers and panelists to explore various aspects of change at this critical juncture in our industry’s history.”