My FierceCable Journey

I've been thinking a lot this week about the summer of 1996, when I began writing about the cable industry. Consumers were only beginning to discover the Internet, and most accessed the Web via 14.4 kbps or 56 kbps dialup modems.

While Congress passed the Telecommunications Act that year, no cable operator was ready to offer voice service, and few telcos were investing in video. Verizon (NYSE: VZ) was still known as Bell Atlantic, nearly all cable systems were analog, and VOD and interactive TV were just concepts cable executives talked about at conferences.

I've been fortunate enough to document how the cable industry has transformed in the last 15 years, moving from delivering analog signals to high-definition and interactive programming. The industry is going through yet another transformation, driven by new mobile devices and interactive program guides, and today I begin covering those changes for FierceCable. 

In addition to tracking battles between cable operators and telcos--and the technology providers are relying on--we'll also focus on how Web video and mobile broadband technology are shaking up the industry.  Thanks for following me here. You can reach me at sdonohue@fiercemarkets.com, or 212-828-3706.--Steve