July 24, 2008

Editor's Note: Heat Exhaustion

By Seth Arenstein

We trust our summer-themed cover on this edition of CableFAX: The Magazine has put you in a relaxed state, ready to enjoy the pleasures of the season.

Recently Johns Hopkins Magazine asked rocket scientist Stephan McCandliss what he thinks about while jogging. That spurred us to question cable operators about the thoughts that run through their minds while on summer vacation. In no particular order, here are some of the musings they said occupy their minds while lounging at the pool, hopefully with a cool drink:

1. Gosh, this is nice. How do I get another day off?

2. Can I serve customers, the board of directors, the boss and the stockholders and still have some semblance of a home life?

3. Does A&E have to run Flip This House against TLC’s Flip That House? And why is it that I remember which programmer runs those shows if I can’t, for the life of me, recall if TBS or TNT is supposed to be the funny network?

4. How come we can send a man to the moon but we can’t create better navigation for VOD?

5. I carry all the right networks, so why don’t I get invited to those really cool Hollywood parties?

6. If I got invited, what would I do?

7. There must be someone at CableLabs who can build a computer model so we would know which party to back in November.

8. Does he spell it Schlieff or Schleiff?

9. How is it possible that I’ve talked to 50 people on this island who’ve never heard of Big Ten Network?

10. $6 a gallon?

From the above it’s clear the mind of the dedicated cable executive is never far from the office. Here’s hoping you and they can take a break this summer — after you read this magazine.

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