THE ROSE REVIEW: Entertainment & Technology

FADE OUT.
The Western Show, alas, is no more.

I went to visit www.thewesternshow.com to get details on this year's show, and instead I see a letter saying: no Show. An excerpt:

"The curtain has come down on The Western Show after a 36-year run. The Show’s sponsor, the California Cable & Telecommunications Association made the decision to close the show due to changing conditions in the marketplace, coupled with economic pressure on cable programmers, suppliers and operators to significantly reduce costs...............

Throughout its history, The Western Show served as the focal point for groundbreaking announcements of new technologies and cable programming services. It was the setting where operators first heard about digital technology, where cable modems, cable telephony, VoIP telephony, cable home networking and DVR over cable were first demonstrated, and where trailblazing programming such as CNN were first introduced and marketed to cable operators.

The last Western Show was really nostalgic for all of us in the industry. Many old timers came and mixed with new kids on the block and many a Western Show story was shared in the various hotel watering holes on those last several nights.............

We will miss The Western Show but want to assure everyone that the California Cable & Telecommunications Association’s tradition of service to the industry will continue......"

This show/expo was a staple of the entertainment and technology industries, a great example of the interface and interactions between these two fields. You could explore the colorful booths of new and established cable channels, then shuffle over to the far end of the Anaheim Convention Center and wonder at the latest advances in cable and TV technologies. See cable stars in one booth, star cables in another.

Got stories and memories about this once-great show? Send a cable to us here.