Introducing Broadband Content

As you will see, this issue contains our annual "Cable Programming Guide." We thought that since content was a central theme to this issue, we would take the opportunity to introduce you as well to another whole new aspect of content that you will be exposed to as you expand your cable business to offer broadband.

In this issue we have introduced you to both the opportunities and dangers content presents for broadband providers. In our cover story on page 14, "Explosives on the Broadband Highway," you will see how copyright can present a very real threat to your business and how best to combat that threat once you are delivering broadband connectivity to your customers. Conversely, in one of our main features on page 33, "Internet's Next Big Win," you will also see how being able to deliver broadband content can provide you with a lucrative revenue stream that will add to your bottom line while helping you to retain customers.

Educate and Prepare

The juxtaposition of these two stories exemplify the importance of education and preparation that we, as an industry, have to keep constantly in forefront of our thinking as we move into the broadband era. The Private Broadband industry can potentially reap significant rewards in the delivery of broadband content such as software-on-demand and various audio and visual streaming media.

However the key to our industry's success in delivering content, as well as many other services for that matter, depends on our ability to educate ourselves about the vast potential of new vertical markets and preparing now for the challenges that we will face in delivering the vertical markets of tomorrow.