KOLKATA: Over 6500 cable operators from places like Meghalaya, Assam, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Orrisa, Madhya Pradesh and even neighbouring Bangladesh converged at the recently concluded Cable TV Show Kolkata.

Choc a bloc with cable operators and related industry professionals, the ninth Cable TV Show, was marked by well attended seminars and good participation as well as healthy business activitiy by exhibitors who attended the show.

The organising body, the CTMA (Cable TV Equipment Traders & Manufacturers Association) which boasts prominent members like Kamal Gandhi (Chief Patron),Pawan Jajodia (Chariman -Exhibtion commitee), K K Binani (Chairman - Seminar Committee), Sanjay Mansukhani (secretary -CTMA)Binod Sancheti (President -CTMA) has a strong influence amongst the cable trade in the region.

The host state, West Bengal, had cable operators coming in from most of its districts, while a delegation from the PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) which had confirmed its participation, could not make it due to some last minute problems.

Among the 83 stalls wasa a surprise exhibitor - health channel Care TV, which does not have a regional channel in eastern India, but claimed to have got a warm response from cable ops who attended the show. While the likes of Scientific Atlanta also did good business, one entity conspicious by its absence was RPGNet, the strongest player in the cable market in West Bengal.

Among the seminars at the show was one where Indiantelevision.com CEO Anil Wanvari enthused the cable community to innovate and be resourceful. Quoting figures and instances from developed markets like the US, he asked them to create local programming out of school and college events, and exhorted the cable community here to create programming and become self reliant to a certain extent.

A prominent chartered accountant M Mishra, then enlightened the audience on how CRM (Customer Relationship Management) can take the cable trade to the next level. He emphasized that getting 100 odd channels, and a clear picture quality were now services expected from a cable operator, which the consumer takes for granted. The operator has to then add more value to the services, and be more efficient in handling complaints. Also of note was a talk by prominent cable operator from Delhi, Roop Sharma, where she asked the cable operators to strive for an united front. Sudeep malhotra of Sattelite and Cable Trade spoke on the impact of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's policies on cable operators.

The CTMA also held a cocktails cum dinner party where it regaled the cable operators with a fashion show by designer Naaz.

All in all, the show had a positive feel around it and proved itself well worth participating in.