Media Communications Association – International (MCA-I) is 40 years old.
Becoming MCA-I . . .
MCA-I was founded as the National Industrial Television Association (NITA) by Thomas F. Hatcher, Harry Kaemmerer, Merrill Lent, and Dr. Edwin Moenckmeier, and registered in the State of New Jersey as a 501 (c) (6) association on April 3, 1970. Its first home office was in Morris, NJ.
Renamed the IITVA (International Industrial Television Association) in 1973, and then shortened to the ITVA (International Television Association) in 1978, it assumed its current name in 2001 to reflect the growing diversity of its membership, a result of the expansion and convergence of communications technologies in the previous decade.
From the television years . . .
The founders’ mission was to create recognition and opportunity for those working in the non-broadcast and industrial communication sectors. To that end, it worked to develop uniform technical standards for manufacturers, suppliers, and users of industrial television equipment and services; to forge alliances with professionals working in related fields; and to encourage professionalism in the industry.
ITVA’s original members were drawn largely from the production departments of corporations, and secondarily from independent studios. Other early members included broadcast television and radio personnel, and a somewhat smaller contingent working in film.
For the communications industry, the 1970’s and 1980’s were technologically unremarkable. Content delivery, although it steadily improved in quality, was essentially the same as it had been for the past thirty years. Likewise ITVA, while it continued to grow in size and prestige, remained demographically stable.
See "The Road Taken" - an overview of the the history of television, with a focus on the Corporate / Industrial sector produced and directed by Chris Jones.
To the digital age
And then everything changed. The 1990’s brought the Internet, HDTV, digital technology, the widespread use of computers, convergence, and a host of other life-changing phenomena to the world of visual communication – and to the world at large.
Like almost everyone else, ITVA had to adapt to this new landscape virtually overnight. Fortunately its leaders were up to the task, restructuring the organization, acquiring a more forward-thinking management company, and finally shedding its old name for one that more accurately reflected the new face of the industry and its members. Thus the Media Communications Association – International was born.
MCA-I members are a truly diverse community, serving clients around the globe, and making their mark in an ever-expanding – and increasingly digital – communications universe. With writers, producers, editors, camera operators, lighting designers, graphic artists, marketing executives, performers, and several other media sub-sectors represented in that number, it is a microcosm of the industry it serves.
The history of MCA-I is still very much in the making. At 40, it is still bringing innovation and excellence to the industry, and paving the way for the next generation of media communications professionals. Now headquartered in Madison, WI, MCA-I is building an organization for the 21st Century: expanding its member network, learning new ways to serve its constituents, creating a richer and more responsive presence online, and strengthening its leadership role in the world of media communications.
And then everything changed. The 1990’s brought the Internet, HDTV, digital technology, the widespread use of computers, convergence, and a host of other life-changing phenomena to the world of visual communication – and to the world at large. 