SNCAT spin-off targets business

Business needs a controlled-access version of the popular social networking sites, says Les Smith, executive director of SNCAT.

He figures Interactive Media Technologies, a planned spin-off from SNCAT, could provide it.

SNCAT the shorthand name for Sierra Nevada Community Access Television, a not-for-profit television and Internet production company derives 80 percent of its funds from contracts with Reno, Sparks and Washoe County.

Smith sees a greater demand, and the carrier would be the Internet rather than the cable television wires that carry SNCAT programming.

For example, he points to global behemoths such as International Game Technology that could build a company-wide community. Or multilevel marketers that would build community among customers and sales associates they could both blog and post videos. He points to business colleges that could offer self-contained social education networking systems.

Interactive Media Technologies will be funded by equity shares or preferred stock, says Smith, with SNCAT among the investors. A slim staff, marketing and administration, will hand off jobs to the existing production staff at SNCAT studios. The company should be operational within the year.

The start-up challenge, says Smith, is branding and building an image for Interactive Media Technologies.

"SNCAT does not enjoy the best image in this community," he acknowledges.

But Smith's vision goes beyond day-to-day business. He hopes the resultant skunkworks a consortium of diverse disciplines will attract the kind of "boy genius" talent that top tech companies currently bid big bucks to attract.

"The right consortium could get hold of Cisco's hologram projection," he says. "Such new applications are looking for people to help them make it more pervasive in the marketplace."

Smith holds a bachelor's degree in educational media and a master's degree in education technology. He previously worked at the U.S. Department of Wildlife, producing visual materials and recalls, "The camera was my ticket to the world."