September 1, 2010

CableFAX: More of the Most Influential Minorities in Cable

By Cathy Applefeld Olson and Steve Donohue

As cable becomes more diverse, it is increasingly difficult to come up with a single list of worthy individuals. That’s why we’ve compiled an unranked group of minority executives who have a large influence on the national scene and a similar listing for the regional side. As with our Top 75 list, we’ve largely eschewed corporate bios and instead quizzed these influential players on everything from business ideas to mentoring to favorite foods and beverages.

Michael Armstrong

SVP/GM BET International

Armstrong has grown the BET International footprint to more than 50 countries in fewer than two years, including significant strides in the U.K., Middle East and Africa during the past year. "To really target an African American audience in today’s environment, cable networks must work across multiple platforms and develop a wide range of programming to reflect the audience’s ever increasing interests," he says

Black Entertainers Who Are Breaking Fresh Ground: "I may be biased by my international role, but black British actors like Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo and Idris Elba show incredible range and talent."

James Anderson

SVP, Public Relations Turner Broadcasting’s Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media Group

Anderson heads messaging and positioning — on and off camera — for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang.

Advice For Someone Trying to Break into Cable: "Read everything about the overall business and what’s going on with each company."

Best Non-Cable PR Campaign: "Fox’s campaign for Glee has been great to watch unfold."

Most Valuable Social Media Tool: "Facebook and Twitter. But that could change next week the way this medium is constantly evolving."

Deanna Andaverde

SVP, Field Operations Univision Communications

This Spanish-language distribution whiz worked her magic again at Univision last year, closing more than 130 retransmission consent deals representing indie operators. She also led the field team in Univision’s VOD launches for its 34 million-plus enabled subscribers.

Advice For Someone Trying to Break in to Cable: "Join an industry organization and find a mentor. Read the Jones Cable TV Information And Infrastructure Dictionary."

What Other Company Runs Great Field Ops? "Lexus. Their dedication to quality and superior customer service has given them such a competitive advantage, others are hard-pressed to compete."

Franklyn Athias

SVP, IP Communications; Wireless CTO, Comcast

Comcast veteran Athias led the company’s recent Wi-Fi deployment and its Wi-Fi roaming agreement with Time Warner Cable and Cablevision in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He literally unplugs every July to attend Reggae SumFest in Jamaica.

Advice For Someone Trying to Break in to Cable: "You have to remain knowledgeable on technology and services that are changing rapidly. You also have to become a user of some of these services so you can intelligently see how they benefit your business."

Paxton Baker

EVP/GM, Centric; President, BET Event Productions

Veteran TV and music exec Baker keeps the beat at Centric, the BET spin-off network targeting the 25-54 African-American audience. He is focused on bringing a mix of "originals that reflect their interests, classics that reignite their passions, and a playlist of the music that provides the flavor, as a soundtrack to their lives."

What The Centric Demo Seeking: "Centric’s programming reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today’s mature African-American and multi-cultural adult. That is the foundation of our network, so our programming is not only entertaining but also enlightening to our audience."

Kenetta Bailey

SVP, Marketing, WE tv and Wedding Central

The consummate ‘wedding planner’ took WE’s prowess of all things marital on the road last year with a 20-city wedding mall tour. She also led the partnership with Web site The Wedding Report and helped establish the network’s burgeoning roster of wedding experts.

Wedding Advice: "Wife and husband should always mingle with their guests together. Otherwise they’ll have separate memories from the reception."

Favorite Non-Cable Marketing Campaign: "Dunkin’ Donuts’ Keep It Coolatta Sweepstakes showed keen consumer insight – people love freebies – engagement was high, brand awareness soared."

Maryam Banikarim

SVP, Integrated Sales Marketing, NBC Universal

Behind every great women and lifestyles initiative is, apparently, a great woman. Banikarim oversees NBCU’s Women at NBCU, Green is Universal and Healthy at NBCU, among other cross-platform initiatives. She also manages enterprise marketing sales for the company, identifying targeted advertising opportunities across platforms.

Ivan Bargueiras

SVP, Advertising Sales Discovery Networks Latin America/U.S. Hispanic

Despite a shrinking marketplace, Bargueiras and his group delivered solid 7% growth in ad sales. "Being able to outpace the market was a big deal for us," he says.

Biggest Challenge Selling to Latin America: "Dealing with the different markets. Each market has its own dynamics and complexities."

Biggest Challenge Advertising to U.S. Hispanic Market: "The same one everyone is facing...getting advertisers to see the value that pay TV offers vs. broadcast."

Best Non-Cable Sales Campaign:" Despicable Me and the GEICO Caveman."

Thanda Belker

EVP, Pay Television Sony Pictures Television

As business continues to swirl around VOD, Belker is the point person for Sony’s pay TV business as well as the company’s residential and hotel-based PPV and VOD businesses. She structures, negotiates and executes deals with cable operators around the country, sharpening her keen negotiating skills with each stop along the way.

Payne Brown

VP, Strategic Initiatives Comcast

As a key liaison for Comcast in the African-American community, Brown is a leader in the development and implementation of the company’s national diversity strategy. Programming content, public affairs and community investment initiatives all fall under his domain, as do managing strategic relationships with various industries; federal, state and local government institutions; and special-interest groups.

Paul Butler

SVP/Gen Counsel, GMC

"The Butler did it" is a common refrain around GMC when it comes to deal-making, a fitting tribute to this most efficient executive who recently structured, drafted, negotiated and signed a deal for a concert TV special in 36 hours. His thoughts on the mayhem? "It was actually kind of fun."

Best Business Book Read: Everything But The Coffee Table: Learning About America From Starbucks, by Bryant Simon. "The book was a good commentary, not about the business itself, but more about what Starbucks says about our culture, identity and community."

Louis Carr

President, Media Sales BET

Carr is responsible for 60% of BET’s total revenue, including the company’s flagship network, BET J, and BET.com. During the economic downturn, "we had to reposition ourselves as a brand that could help marketers not only hold but also grow market share," he says. Carr also runs a real estate company that redevelops inner-city neighborhoods in Chicago and a foundation that provides paid internships for students of color at leading media and marketing companies.

Advice for Someone Trying to Break into Cable: "Be prepared to get your hustle on. In today’s marketplace, you not only have to be smart but also work smart. We call it expanding your capacity."

Sherita Ceasar

VP, Product Engineering, Cross Platform Applications and Engineering Analysis, Comcast

The design, implementation and deployment of Comcast’s cross-platform applications fall under Ceasar’s purview. She reviews and evaluates security requirements for PE video, data, voice and cross-platform products supporting Comcast markets, ensuring the MSO’s products are efficient and secure.

Merah Chung

VP, Development/New Series, The Style Network

The woman who put Jerseylicious into the popular lexicon certainly gets our vote. The success of its premiere season ushered in 20 new episodes for season two, and Chung is now knee-deep in development of a docu-series featuring former Spice Girl Mel B.

On Working with Mel: "She and her family have so much fun together, it’s infectious."

Style Tip: "Heat your eyelash curler with your blowdryer before curling your eyelashes and they will stay curled all day. Just be careful it’s not too hot. I’ve had friends make that mistake!"

Lisa Clark

VP, Consumer Marketing & Media Strategy National Geographic Channel

Credit Clark with helping steer the successful launch of Nat Geo Wild this year. She also helmed strategies that have

incited consistent ratings growth for Nat Geo, including C3 ideas that have driven the network to one of the highest indexes among fully distributed non-fiction networks.

Best Non-Cable Marketing Campaign: "The Kia Soul Hamsters campaign. The combination of Black Sheep’s The Choice is Yours and the unique use of rodents got my attention."

Best Social Media Tool for Business: Twitter and Facebook.

Rosalind Clay Carter

SVP, Human Resources A&E Television Networks

Talk about a growing family. Carter is overseeing the integration of AETN and Lifetime Entertainment, which increased the size of the company by one-third. As HR head for the combined company, she leads staffing and benefit integrations and is also helping to shape the newly forming company culture.

Craig Collins

SVP, Sales and Marketing, Time Warner Cable Business Class

It’s not business as usual for Collins, who manages a team of 1,000 employees. Business Class is the operator’s fastest-growing revenue generator, and under his leadership TWCBC reported 19% year-over-year growth in the first quarter of 2010 and is on track to become a $1 billion business. Collins now oversees a customer segmentation project that will result in smarter marketing and customer service.

Michael Cooper

VP, Affiliate Marketing and Ad Sales Fox Networks

One of cable’s classiest, the Court TV alum serves as the primary marketing liaison to national cable distributors and as such spearheaded integral initiatives during the Fox-Time Warner retrans negotiations.

Biggest Accomplishment of 2010: "As a team, our ability to simultaneously grow and market our core sports and entertainment networks, launch new products and brand extensions, and invest in new technologies and business models has been the cornerstone of our success."

A.B. Cruz

Chief Legal Officer/ Corporate Secretary, Scripps Networks Interactive

A mainstay on Capitol Hill working with advocacy groups like MAP, Cruz helps steer SNI’s internal dealmaking, including the recent addition of Travel Channel.

Best Business Book: The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century, by George Friedman. "A fascinating look into and forecasts about our world over the next century."

On the Travel Channel Acquisition: "Amazingly quick and smooth for a deal of that size... and completed before the end-of-year holidays hit. Thank goodness!"

Parthavi Das

SVP, Strategy and Initiatives, WICT

Thirteen-year WICT staffer Das effortlessly moved into the role of interim WICT President between Benita Fitzgerald Mosley’s departure and Maria Brennan’s hiring. She’s been instrumental in helping WICT’s leadership formalize its new strategic plan aimed at taking it through its next growth phase. Das has also created a legacy through her leadership of WICT’s PAR initiative.

Marty Dominguez

VP, Marketing, C-SPAN

Even after 22 years, nobody has more passion for the good work C-SPAN does than Dominguez, whose marketing title represents just a fraction of what she does. Among other things, the Tulane MBA leads C-SPAN’s social media charge along with overseeing those iconic C-SPAN school buses.

Favorite C-SPAN Moment: "Certainly there are many, but if I had to pick just one, I think it was being in charge of C-SPAN’s 25th Anniversary and bringing together more than 1,000 current and former C-SPAN staffers for a big celebration just over 6 years ago. I’ve occasionally heard people say that co-workers are like family, but at C-SPAN that’s really true. We’re co-workers, friends, family and lifelong believers in C-SPAN’s mission. So this big celebration was really quite the family reunion and a very special thing to be a part of."

Cheryl Dorsey

VP, Distribution & Marketing, The Africa Channel

Securing bandwidth for a new network that is not owned by a major media conglomerate isn’t easy these days, but Dorsey’s tenacity paid off big-time this year when she sealed deals with both Comcast and Time Warner in California. The woman responsible for 70% of Africa Channel’s U.S. distribution is also a consummate mentor.

Best Part Of Mentoring: "Providing professional access for people seeking employment in the telecommunications industry."

Rosalyn Durant

VP, ESPNU

Under Durant’s direction, ESPNU has become one of the fastest-growing networks, catapulting from 22mln households to 70mln in just 15 months. Known for her upbeat personality and radiant smile, Durant sets the strategic direction for the 24-hour college sports network, including all programming and multimedia decisions. She was also a key player in securing ESPN’s contract extension with the NBA and has served as point person for ESPN’s Olympic sports, lacrosse and soccer programming.

Vicky Free

VP, 360 Consumer Marketing, Turner Broadcasting’s Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media

Aside from overseeing multiplatform campaigns for Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, Free is integral in other Turner marketing projects, including TNT’s The Closer and TBS’ Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. This year she oversaw the social network campaign that launched Cartoon’s new Adventure Time series and the extremely, ahem... cool Adult Swim branded ice cream truck at Comic-Con. "Adult Swim has a long-standing love affair with the fans of Comic-Con," she says.

Most Valuable Social Media Tool For Business: LinkedIn.

Barbara Gee

VP, Strategic Sales Alliances, Comcast

Third-party sales partnerships are a cornerstone of Comcast’s growing business, and Gee is a formidable force when it comes to the breadth and depth of her experience in this arena. Her team drives sales and retains the customer base by negotiating innovative deals with third parties. Best of all, she shares her knowledge and business acumen with others through mentoring programs.

Mari Ghuneim

VP, Online Media Bravo Media

Under Ghuneim’s direction, Bravotv.com and TelevisionWithoutPity.com are having their best years. She notched more than 23 partnerships for Bravo’s Web and broadband initiatives, including high-profile pacts for Top Chef with Cookstr.com and Chow.com. "For Bravo Digital, watercooler conversation drives engagement, and the social media tools available to curate, measure and drive that buzz are invaluable," she says.

Meal You’d Most Like to Cook on Top Chef: "Thomas Keller’s Cauliflower Panna Cotta. It would make for good entertainment and drama."

Ishmel Goodrum

VP, Network Operations Insight Communications

Network reliability and redundancy are top of mind for Goodrum, who this year established a centralized support team and infrastructure to manage digital video services from the Insight NOC.

Biggest Challenge To Digital Transition: Raising the expectations of and building stronger processes with broadcasters and cable providers that deliver a signal to Insight. Also, "working with video processing equipment managers to deliver a consistent customer experience."

Berto Guzman

VP, Affiliate Sales, Si TV

Guzman and his team sustained a steady rate of distribution throughout key markets this year, despite the challenges for an independent network by "passionately spreading our unique perspective of this market segment."

Best Business Hotel: "I’m a Marriott loyalist because I like the free upgrades and concierge access. But mostly because I’m a points hog and hoard them for vacations!"

Favorite Food: "Anything that goes with red wine."

Vicki Hamilton

SVP, Digital Operations and Performance, Turner Broadcasting System

Hamilton has been busy enhancing the external Web sites in Turner’s sports, entertainment and news divisions to increase visibility "and ultimately drive revenue."

Best Way For Cable Execs To Keep Up With Technology: Read magazines that take a business approach to technology. "Equally important is to talk to the technology professionals within your company. They can make the connection relevant to your business."

Roger Henry

VP, Programming and Development Investigation Discovery and Military Channel

Henry wrapped his tenure at Discovery’s Science Channel last year with strong performances for series Mantracker and Sci-Fi Science and sealed a new deal with BBC’s Wonders of the Solar System for Investigation Discovery. ID is launching "dozens" of new series in 2010 under Henry’s purview, and he continues to oversee longtime hits including How It’s Made.

Favorite How It’s Made Item: Aluminum Foil.

Biggest Challenge in Creating Fresh Programming: "Keep in mind your audience’s taste and tolerance. I’ve seen so many good executives lose their way by fusing personal interests with the audience’s interests."

Rhonda Holt

SVP, Digital Media Technologies and Media Asset Management Turner Broadcasting System

Holt oversaw the successful redesign of CNN.com, one of 25 major site redesigns she has tackled in the past year, including NASCAR.com and PGAtour.com — all while continuing her work to mentor the next generation of minority technologists.

Best Part About Mentoring: "Watching others grow. It’s personally rewarding to help others avoid some of the challenges I may have run into over the course of my career, leveraging my career learning."

Linette Hwu

VP, Legal Affairs Travel Channel, Scripps Networks

Talk about a jet-setter. Hwu oversees Travel Channel program negotiations, talent, video distribution and international syndication. As a follow-up to her work on the network’s acquisition in 2009, she co-chaired Travel’s integration process into the Scripps family.

Best Business Hotel: "I was completely pleasantly surprised by the Westin Times Square on a recent trip to NYC."

Destination You’d Most Like To Visit: Bali. "I canceled a trip there last December because our acquisition closed that month. I will be going on a yoga retreat there before year-end."

Kathy Johnson

President, NAMIC

As NAMIC matures into its 30th year, Johnson’s contribution to the association’s success grows. Under her direction, NAMIC is expanding its leadership seminars, mentoring programs and Webinars, as well as offering all-inclusive programs to companies. As a result of proven initiatives she oversees, the industry’s pipeline of diverse talent continues to expand with the goal of "growing our membership and donor base, expanding the reach of our educational programs and ensuring that our members are poised for leadership roles," she says.

Cuisine of Choice: Cuban.

Favorite Drink: Mojito.

Toni Judkins

SVP, Original Programming, TV One

In fewer than two years at TV One, Judkins has overseen a series of hits including Unsung, Life After, LisaRaye: The Real McCoy and Donald J. Trump Presents The Ultimate Merger. She was an honoree at this year’s NAMIC Emerging Leaders breakfast for her stellar track record of creating brand definitional, highly rated original programming.

Biggest Business Accomplishments of the Year: "Negotiating broadcast deals with two powerhouses, Trump Entertainment and Essence Communications. Both ventures have produced originals that performed well on our network and meet our programming vision."

Biggest Challenge Developing Original Programming: "Balancing the creative and the financial while competing with networks that have more resources. I advise my team and producers to think big and then we scale back as needed.

The biggest challenge to sustaining original programming today is staying topical and relevant with current programming, yet being visionary with those in development."

Favorite Show Not on TV One: True Blood. "Minorities are created and presented with depth and complexity. Need I say more?"

Superna Kalle

SVP, Networks Sony Pictures Television

Kalle has Sony’s hotly anticipated 3D channel covered. She’s spent the past year gearing up for the Oct. 1 launch, as well as overseeing the company’s interests in GSN and FEARnet. She also sits on the board of directors for MSM Singapore, MSM India and MSM Discovery, Sony’s distribution platform in India, where the company will soon add a sixth local language channel.

Michelle Kim

Group VP and Chief Counsel, Programming, Time Warner Cable

Kim has the immense responsibility for all legal matters related to programming across Time Warner’s distribution platforms. As such, she plays a key role in negotiating and drafting carriage and distribution arrangements with cable networks, broadcast stations and other content providers, advising senior management in the development of strategic initiatives that intersect with programming.

Jerry Lambert

VP, Associate General Council, Bresnan Communications

Integral in the deployment of advanced services, Lambert has been ensuring compliance in the federal, state and local regulatory field as Bresnan rolls out voice services.

Tip for Successful Negotiations: "Know the desired result; always negotiate with tenacity, tempered by flexibility and characterized by good faith."

Favorite Food and Drink: "Thai, hot enough to make me cry; Maker’s Mark with two cubes of ice."

Howard Lee

VP, Production & Development, TLC

Lee knows a thing or two about storytelling. TLC’s record ratings in 2009-10 can be attributed in part to the programming Lee is shepherding, including Cake Boss, Toddlers & Tiaras and The Little Couple. His work growing new genres for the network led to recent successes for Four Weddings and BBQ Pitmasters. He’s also tasked with nurturing established series, including the high-profile final season of Jon & Kate Plus 8.

Bam Liem

VP, Advanced Network Engineering Insight Communications

If you’re an Insight customer enjoying the company’s Voice Mail Express, you can thank Liem. He and his team not only worked the tech magic that this year enabled phone customers to send voice mail messages to two designated email addresses, but he also oversaw the architecture, design and development of Insight’s HSD and other phone products.

Best Business Hotel: "The Hyatt in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia."

Favorite Food: "Sushi."

Carla Lewis-Long

VP, Distribution, Si TV

One of cable’s most elegant, Lewis-Long has been educating MSOs about the importance of the English-speaking Latino audience during her first year at Si TV. Working with a limited marketing budget has made things interesting, but the veteran cable exec is up to the task. "That forces us to be creative in our partnerships with operators," she says.

Most Valuable Social Media Tool for Business: Twitter. "You can talk to your viewers directly. It’s also a great tool to connect with people who may not be receiving Si TV."

Terri Moore

Director, Diversity & Inclusion Time Warner Cable

Moore leads TWC’s Diversity & Inclusion Council, which focuses on mentoring, employee networks, disability awareness, leadership development, supplier diversity and communications. She regularly participates in business workshops and is currently a workshop leader for Monster.com’s Diversity Leadership Programs.

Monica Neal

VP, Emerging Markets and Partnerships, TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies, Turner Broadcasting System

Neal developed the Twitterboard, which featured tweets from fans in real time on an LED billboard in Times Square in support of the launch of TBS’ Lopez Tonight. She oversaw high-profile initiatives this year including TBS’ first partnership with Walt Disney World and a nationwide mobile health tour with the Red Cross and Verizon in conjunction with TNT’s HawthorRNe.

Favorite Recent Non-Cable Marketing Campaign: "American Ballet Theater’s digital initiatives, which aimed to engage and retain ballet patrons in challenging economic times."

Ariela Nerubay

SVP, Sales & Marketing TuTv

Known for her creativity, Nerubay continues to implement effective marketing initiatives, many resulting in double-digit subscriber growth for TuTv’s affiliates. Strong results continued through the economic challenges of the past few years, earning Nerubay several marketing awards from NAMIC.

Favorite Non-Cable Marketing Campaign: "Old Spice Guy. The use of social media to generate buzz is brilliant. I love the Facebook exclusive content where the Old Spice Guy actually responds to fans’ comments via posted videos."

Rebecca Nowlin

Director, Trade Marketing, Outdoor Channel

Nowlin’s busy year included redesigning Outdoor’s affiliate Web site, launching multiple local campaigns, managing the network’s participation in 10 national trade shows and maintaining conservation volunteer program Outdoor Channel Corps, which targeted 1 million volunteers in five years.

Best Non-Cable Marketing Campaign: "Toyota’s Sierra Minivan. The television commercials are hilarious, and on the viral front, the Web videos featuring the ‘parents’ performing the branded rap song is creatively written and well executed."

Favorite Food: "I’ve had this confectionery battle with my taste buds for years — Turtles vs. Snickers."

William Ortiz

VP, Corporate Marketing Communications Time Warner Cable

Marketing whiz Ortiz has segued from focusing on the multicultural audience to helping lead TWC’s campaign in the general market. Ortiz has been heavily focusing on the company’s new marketing campaign, set to debut in the fall that will "leverage our brand essence and increase our relevance to consumers."

Favorite Non-Cable Marketing Campaign: Apple iPod. "They’ve mastered the art of selling without making the consumer feel as if they’re being sold. I also greatly admire their product evolution and innovation. It’s firmly rooted in delivering on consumer needs and desires. Their success has shown that this is truly a winning strategy."

Marie Perez-Brown

SVP, Programming & Development, Si TV

Perez-Brown notched deals with Twentieth Television for Prison Break and Sony Classics for a series of Latino-themed films that are the cornerstone of Si TV’s new movie block. She’s the author of Mama: Latina Daughters Celebrate Their Mothers (HarperCollins). In her "spare" time, she’s an adjunct professor at Columbia University.

Favorite Travel Destination: "El Conquistador Hotel in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. No matter how many times I visit, I find a peaceful retreat in this corner of the world. I liked it so much I got married there!"

Favorite Food: "Sweet Potato Fries. I know. It’s wrong. But they provide comfort in times of stress."

Anna Peries

Manager, Sales & Affiliate Marketing Playboy TV

Charged with seeking out and pursuing carriage opportunities for Playboy’s programming across all brands, Peries is known for her intrepid negotiating skills. But perhaps her most unusual skill is in the area of animal rescue. She recently rescued a family of ducklings lost in the parking lot outside Playboy’s offices. After corralling them into a box, she called animal control and waited by them until a professional rescue worker arrived. "I went to my supervisor and told her I’d be working with my laptop and cell phone in the parking lot," Peries says. "Kudos to her. She didn’t even blink!"

Biggest Challenge Negotiating with Cable Operators: "The different regions sometimes have different goals from their local systems."

Bret Perkins

Sr Director, Public Policy Comcast Corp

The winner of a Young Leadership Vanguard, Perkins is regarded as a rising star at Comcast corporate, having come over last year from Comcast Cable. On the cable side since ’01 he helped manage the growth of the government affairs function when it went from 22 states and 2,500 communities to 39 states and 6K communities. Currently, he fashions Philadelphia’s public policy agenda in national communications and technology policy.

Ron Phillips

SVP, Employee Engagement, Comcast

Comcast’s former VP of Human Resources was named to this newly created post in the spring. On Oct. 1, he moves to Comcast’s corporate headquarters in Philly to begin his new post. Overseeing employee relations, labor relations, compliance and employee loyalty now falls under his purview. He’s known among his peers as being passionate about his fellow employees. Phillips is equally passionate about the role of human resources in solving business issues.

Michael Quigley

VP, Business Development & Multiplatform Distribution, Turner Broadcasting System

If Quigley seemed omnipresent this year, it’s because he helmed the commercial deployment of TV Everywhere across multiple Turner network Web sites. "I’m eager to see what the rest of the year will bring in terms of progress with additional distributors and other programmers," he says.

Interactive TV – Myth or Reality? "Part myth and part reality. It’s reality that viewers want more information during their TV viewing experience... The myth of iTV is that not all interactive TV will make good TV. Programmers need to be smart about how they are introducing iTV."

Paul T. Robinson

VP, Sales Time Warner Cable

The veteran telecom industry executive has been focusing on driving Time Warner Cable’s Business Class service. He has strategically built a sales organization reaching out to customers large and small throughout the west, garnering top internal honors in 2008 and 2009.

Best Part About Mentoring?

"To see the mentee grow and learn from your guidance. Too see the achievement and sense of accomplishment from a mentee because they earned a promotion, or closed a big win, or completed a project gives you a rewarding feeling. Even greater is to see a mentee become a mentor and pass on the knowledge, experience and coaching to someone else."

Neal Scarbrough

VP, Digital Media VERSUS

The Scarbrough-led January relaunch of VERSUS.com with full HD and increased editorial content led to a 20%-plus spike in traffic. Up too, by 33%, was users’ time on the site vs. the previous year. And the network’s Tour de France iPhone app became one of the highest-grossing apps and the top sports apps on iTunes during the race. Scarbrough earned a spot on our Digital Hot List in 2009.

Favorite Spectator Sport: "Lacrosse and college football national championships."

Favorite non-VERSUS iPhone app: Pandora. "It’s like my iPod, but with playlists that are full of surprises."

Alan Seiffert

SVP, Syfy Ventures SyFy

In just a year at the network, Seiffert has broadened Syfy’s brand by spearheading its strong growth in the gaming and kids spaces. Focusing on bridging videogames, books and digital experiences grounded in a cable network, Seiffert has launched numerous groundbreaking initiatives ranging from TRION to the first-ever TV-game cross venture, THQ for Red Faction and De Blob. In addition, he’s the architect behind the Syfy Kids brand.

Guillermo Sierra

SVP, V-me Media

Sierra has built V-me into the fourth largest Spanish-language network in three years. As the company’s chief strategist, he creates engaging programming for the growing U.S. Hispanic market, and makes deals with a vast roster of global content partners, on-camera talent, affiliates and distribution partners. A seasoned negotiator, he also recently was instrumental in securing V-me’s second round of financing from Spain’s PRISA.

Marva Smalls

EVP, Global Inclusion Strategy, MTV Networks and EVP of Public Affairs and Chief of Staff, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land and Noggin

Smalls has a knack for keeping the issues most important to Nick viewers top of mind and well-represented on-air, this year through pro-social campaigns like The Big Help, Halo Awards and Beyond the Backpack.

Best Way to Stay Ahead of the Curve: "Research. Research. Research! We’ve been in dialog with our audience since day one."

Favorite non-Nick Show: "Mad Men" and "The Good Wife."

Favorite Food/Drink: "When the company and conversation are good, what’s on the plate or from the bar is just additive. (When it’s not so good, a nice glass of Kistler Chardonnay or Flowers Pinot works)."

Kent Takano

Executive Producer, Branded Entertainment DIY Network

Though Takano doesn’t do it entirely himself, he is the executive who oversees the look and feel of the DIY brand. He makes daily decisions about which companies the network partners with for shows ranging from ground-breaking Blog Cabin to its extensive roster of home improvement and landscaping programs, including TurfWar and America’s Most Desperate Landscape.

Keno Thomas

SVP, Affiliate Sales Starz Entertainment

Though Thomas focuses most closely on Starz’s DBS and telco account, he’s well known in cable circles too. One of cable’s finest sales execs, Thomas has spent more than 25 years in the business with companies like Times Mirror Cable and ESPN. All that experience is paying dividends for Starz, as Thomas helped engineer a multi-year pact with FiOS that extended the network’s deal with the telco, bringing its hit movies to Verizon’s Internet subs via the Starz Play broadband video download service.

Denmark West

Pres, Digital Media, BET

West leads BET’s portfolio of digital brands, including BET.com, BET Mobile, BET on Demand and BET’s digital download offerings. This year, he oversaw the re-launch of the company’s mobile site and helped drive significant improvement in integration with advertising, programming and other BET Networks divisions, including BET’s first original web series, Buppies.

Keys to Keeping a Web Site Relevant: "Both the content offering, including ties to programming, and the refresh rate, are keys to our relevance. Other keys include: user participation/interactive tools, integrating user perspective and creativity, as well as providing a clear and easy path to social engagement."

Alicin Williamson

SVP, Corporate Responsibility & Public Affairs MTV Networks

A tireless proponent of melding private and public interests to help underserved communities — especially youth — Williamson continues to work her magic at MTV Networks. The former NAMIC chair works to integrate corporate social responsibility throughout the MTV family, and communicate the company’s messages through a variety of cross-platform campaigns, including perennial high-profile Rock The Vote and recent A Thin Line campaign, which empowered youth to become more knowledgeable about digital abuse.