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By Dave Ferrara, HRTS Executive Director
Just heard on the news today that one of the presidential candidates just topped one million individual donors to his campaign.  No matter what your political leanings might be, that news is impressive.    Polls indicate that same candidate, driven by the incredible coalition building around his campaign seems to be gathering momentum  as they march towards the presidential elections coming up.  Coincidence?  Hmmm.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to use my monthly column space to rant on politics (I’ll leave that to Bill Maher and his ilk) but it does illustrate something that we here at HRTS can go to school on.
  
The HRTS has long prided itself on being the industry’s premier information and networking forum.  HRTS individual and corporate membership includes over 700 of the top execs in our business, as well as 44 leading companies,  including all of the broadcast networks, top talent and management agencies, leading cable nets, legal and financial companies and independent production entities.  In political terms…quite a coalition!  In fact, in our little corner of the world, the HRTS' diverse collection of companies and individuals, who for a few hours every couple of months set aside competitive differences and pressures in the name of making our industry better could be a likened to what's happening across our country as the political process runs its course.

What can one do with such a gathering of likeminded people?  Why, we can change the world!  (Okay…maybe that’s a little far reaching but you get my point!)

Historically the organization has focused its efforts on presenting events that have addressed issues that directly affect the TV and cable business…  The Network Chiefs, The Cable Chiefs, State of the Industry, Hitmakers.  All great panels…and the long-standing tradition of HRTS as the one place that can gather every top exec in our business under one roof to address pressing business issues will never go away.  But let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are in a business that has far reaching impact.   I’d like to think that HRTS can do more. 

So in the coming months, in addition to panels that look at the strategic and tactical aspects of our business, we are also going to be developing programming that looks at some of our bigger societal issues and how our industry can have an impact.  HRTS' first foray into that broader world will be our April luncheon which is being presented in partnership with leading industry organizations including the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF).  The details of the luncheon are being developed as we speak but know that it will address an important societal issue that affects ALL of us!  We’ll be announcing details shortly so stay tuned.

Of course, now that we are getting back to business (notice I didn’t say business as usual…) upcoming luncheons will be looking at our industry through the lens of a post-strike, new media, 52 week, digital, high-def world.  We all know that business as usual is no longer so we as an organization will focus on how we can present relevant and topical programs that assist our membership to navigate this brave, new world.  But what exactly is relevant?  Important?  Needed?  Wanted?  Only you, the HRTS members can tell me.  I encourage all HRTS members to email me their ideas on what kinds of panels you’d find valuable going forward.  What kinds of information will help you do your job better?  Help you sleep better at night?
 
Send me your ideas, comments, suggestions and I will work to shape HRTS in the image that best addresses the needs and wants of our entire membership.  And if we can also leverage the power our little Hollywood coalition to help change the world, even a little bit…Cool!

See you at the next luncheon.

Dave Ferrara