Cable Lobby Seeks Better Reputation By Dropping 'Cable' From Its Name (arstechnica.com) 63
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Cable lobbyists don't want to be called cable lobbyists anymore. The nation's top two cable industry lobby groups have both dropped the word "cable" from their names. But the lobby groups' core mission -- the fight against regulation of cable networks -- remains unchanged. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) got things started in 2016 when it renamed itself NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, keeping the initialism but dropping the words it stood for. The group was also known as the National Cable Television Association between 1968 and 2001. The American Cable Association (ACA) is the nation's other major cable lobby. While NCTA represents the biggest companies like Comcast and Charter, the ACA represents small and mid-size cable operators. Today, the ACA announced that it is now called America's Communications Association or "ACA Connects," though the ACA's website still uses the americancable.org domain name.
"The new name reflects a leading position for the association in the fast-growing telecommunications industry, where technology is rapidly changing how information is provided to and used by consumers," the cable lobby said. "It's all about the communications and connections our members provide," said cable lobbyist Matthew Polka, who is CEO of the ACA. The "ACA Connects" moniker "explains what our association and members really do," Polka continued. "We connect, communicate, build relationships and work together with all, and that will never change."
"The new name reflects a leading position for the association in the fast-growing telecommunications industry, where technology is rapidly changing how information is provided to and used by consumers," the cable lobby said. "It's all about the communications and connections our members provide," said cable lobbyist Matthew Polka, who is CEO of the ACA. The "ACA Connects" moniker "explains what our association and members really do," Polka continued. "We connect, communicate, build relationships and work together with all, and that will never change."
How about replacing it with (Score:5, Insightful)
"sleazebag".
No problem (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Here's how to improve your reputation (Score:3)
Let's take the example of "Comcast".
Will calling it something besides a cable company change the reputation? No.
So what do you do?
It's pretty simple. Make a new company "FutureCast", just something with a better name to start with. Pretend it's a new company.
Now, take your employees that are actually good, transfer them all to FutureCast. Provide good quality commercial cable modems for internet only, and rent those out instead of your own crappy hardware. Prioritize network traffic over the Comcast network for FutureCast customers.
So you have customers that interact with a company that doesn't rent overpriced garbage boxes, delivers what people actually want which is internet only for a reasonable price without pushing extra packages, and actually has employees that are not like playing Service Russian Roulette any time you have to deal with them. Who would NOT love that company?
What above older Comcast customers you ask? Well, how would they even notice a drop in service quality...
Re: (Score:2)
Funny you used them as an example -- all the NCTA needs to do is lose any associations with 'Comcast' and their reputation would improve immediately.
Re: (Score:2)
Unfortunately, the actual strategy is to invent a new name. Announce it like it's a buyout rather than a rebranding. Put stickers with the new name at the top of all of the old documents. Raise prices 5% and BINGO!
Under no circumstances improve any product or service. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Connects not much better (Score:2)
Stupid, but very effective strategy (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
LOL.
Never Caring To Appease, or
New Customers Treated Atrociously
Um... (Score:2)
If they are changing the name because of some sort of negative association with cable, wires, or whatever; then I suppose I can see it.
But if it's because of the shitty reputation that the cable companies have gotten due to the way they operate, then this is just stupid. If they want to be thought of in a more positive way, then perhaps they should stop being douche bags and treating their customers the way they have been for the last couple of decades.
But I guess a name change is easy, while actually d
Not the right strategy (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't drop "cable" from your name, drop the shit from your game.
Re: (Score:2)
They should change their name to "Law-buying Lobbyists", or "Government-bribing Lobbyists". That way it's crystal clear who they are.
Re: (Score:2)
Howabout: Customer Raping Assholes
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe you can help me understand what lobbying is. Here's my current understanding:
Lobbyists are independent contractors that are hired by corporations in order to bribe public officials in order to pass laws that help the company succeed in whatever current economic environment exists.
Are you referring to citizens as customers??
Re: (Score:2)
That might actually take work, though. Dropping cable from their name is easy. Say what you will about cable companies, but they're never ones to make a hard fix when there's an easy band-aid that can be applied.
"Cable" is bad? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Zodiac Killer to revamp his reputation by dropping Killer from his moniker.
Probably better than his real name [wikipedia.org]. :-)
Re: (Score:2)
I find it hysterical that the Wikipedia article has to go out of it's way in the summary section to point out that he cannot actually be the Zodiac Killer.
In seemingly related news ... (Score:2)
Nathan Summers [wikipedia.org] will be dropping "Cable" from his name and will now be known as "".
Larry the Guy (Score:2)
So do we end up with Larry the Guy, Nathan the Guy, and Chip the Guy [fandom.com]?
Lipstick on a pig (Score:2)
So the Cable Guy... (Score:2)
...is now just a guy?
Time for a change (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Can't put lipstick on a pig (Score:2)
George and Coco agree at last (Score:2)
George: Well, I wrote an entire book about scalpels—scalpels taken to the human soul. And then Gilliam came along and made my book's metaphor physical, too, so nyah-nyah.
Coco: Oh come on, George, I have seventeen patents on alpha hydroxyl acid. And you can guess the rest ... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it truly behooves the beheld to take matters into her own sweet l
Re: (Score:2)
>Why not change a bit and do things less shady things?
Because that would harm profit margins, while a name change only requires changing the stationary.
Besides, in this case it's a name very few people know - would you have recognized what NCTA was without the long name?
But spell it out? People hear about the latest action by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, they know right away they're getting screwed harder. The Internet & Television Association though? Now, that could be
Re: (Score:2)
Are you sure about that?
D'you remember what Arthur Anderson changed their name to after their accounting scandal debacle re: Enron?
I 'vaguely' remember. Some bulltshit floaty-woaty fairy name or something or other beginning with A.
I have to look it up.. I might remember if I saw it, but I can't immediately bring it to mind when asked.
PS: I looked it up. It's Accenture.
Sounds to me (Score:2)
It sounds to me like the cable lobby is cutting the cord....
LOL! (Score:1)
Telcos suck (Score:1)
The telcos and the cablecos are the duoply that keeps on taking. No matter where you live in the US you have a choice of ONE built-in telco and ONE built-in cableco.
Karl Bode of Arstechnica incorrectly calls these ISPs, but they are not ISPs. They are legacy providers of wireline telephony and wireline cable tv ("Community Access TeleVision or CATV").
It's sad when the tech writers can't get the tech right. It's sad when the companies can't provide service right. And now their lobbyist arms are changing
Re: (Score:2)
>they are not ISPs. They are legacy providers of wireline telephony and wireline cable tv
Of course they are - they're the primary Providers of Internet Service in the U.S.
It's not their original business, and in the case of cable companies, perhaps still not their primary one. And their history gives them some substantial regulatory advantages over the competition, but to deny that they provide internet service is foolish.
Meanwhile, broad competition in physical infrastructure is a nightmare - both in t