The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, which owns the PackExpo International, PackExpo Las Vegas, and PackExpo Mexico shows, is planning to offer something a little different this year: its own Internet television station. Says PMMI vice president Tom Egan, in a statement, “PackExpoTV now allows PackExpo to run its own branded TV news desk that operates on our trade show Web site promoting the show to a worldwide Internet audience running a series of compelling news stories to promote our show.”

PackExpo TV, which will debut at PackExpo Las Vegas later this month, will be available to all attendees and suppliers during the event. PMMI is using BDMetrics’ TradeshowTV to launch and operate their TV station on PackExpo.com, which according to PMMI is the top-ranked packaging business-to-business site on Google and Yahoo. TradeshowTV allows PMMI to take its existing content—press releases, announcements, breaking news, and videos—and turn it into a branded Internet station, complete with an anchor person and professional news set.

PMMI is currently developing segments that will highlight breaking news from suppliers, industry events, PMMI programs, PackExpo tradeshows, the Conference at PackExpo, and news sources throughout the packaging industry. Another segment will include 30-second video updates on new programs and services delivered directly to PackExpo attendee portals and posted on Packexpo.com following the event.

And PMMI is far from alone in using this technology. In the few weeks TradeshowTV has been available, 130 organizations have bought in, according to BDMetrics' Rick Geritz.

Steven Hacker, CEO of the Internationial Association of Exhibitions and Events, points out in a press release that this type of technology can help organizers reach the younger video-oriented generations weaned on YouTube. “The vast array of communication channels that exists today requires organizers to communicate their important messages across many different channels--TradeshowTV creates some very promising opportunities to do so in the video segment."