November 20, 2008

The Top 50 (29-36)—2008 Most Powerful Women in Cable

CableFAX: The Magazine's annual list of top women execs in cable

29. Joan Gillman, EVP & President of Media Sales, Time Warner Cable

Gillman provides day-to-day leadership for Time Warner Cable’s media sales organization, and is an industry force in interactive TV. She is one of the industry leaders shepherding the Canoe national advanced cable advertising platform, and has been working closely on the business side of the Canoe venture, bringing it closer to commercial reality. As one who constantly looks beyond her role within Time Warner Cable, Gillman also devotes time to WICT, NAMIC and Cable Positive.

30. Colleen Abdoulah, CEO & President, WideOpenWest

Abdoulah leads WOW!, which we named Independent Operator of the Year in our 2008 Top Ops issue, in a break from the tradition of considering only cable operators. Abdoulah has helped the company deliver industry-leading performance, and despite the intensely competitive environment she remains a well-liked executive. This respect and admiration was expressed recently when she was appointed to the board of directors of the American Cable Association. She is a frequent speaker at both industry and non-industry-related forums about women in the workplace, and is actively involved with several nonprofits, including the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center.

31. Christine Driessen, EVP & CFO, ESPN

Driessen serves as financial adviser on all of ESPN’s strategic planning for acquisitions, new business ventures and programming initiatives. She oversees all of ESPN’s financial operations across 50 business entities, and has been involved in a host of rights agreements, including the company’s recent acquisition of Rise and a $75 million investment in Active.com. Her influence in ESPN’s overall business and in individual deals and rights agreements ripples throughout the Walt Disney Company.

32. Frances Berwick, GM, Bravo Media

Berwick has taken on the task of spearheading the programming, scheduling, marketing and advertising departments at Bravo Media. Under her watch, Bravo is on pace to reach 90 million homes this year. The network added 110 new advertisers in 2007, grew broadcast upfront dollars by 30 percent and posted double-digit revenue growth last year. For the first time, Bravo broke the top 10 ranking for women 18-49 in the first quarter of 2008.

33. Louise Sams, EVP & General Counsel, Turner Broadcasting System, and President, Turner Broadcasting System International

Sams heads Turner’s international business operations and directs more than 80 in-house attorneys supporting Turner’s news, entertainment, animation and corporate interests. Sams is leading Turner’s launch of two more entertainment networks in India and overseeing its new ownership interest in an independent production company in Delhi.

34. Marjorie Kaplan, President & GM, Animal Planet Media

Since taking charge of Animal Planet last year, Kaplan has changed the face of the network with more aggressive and visceral programming. Kaplan has recruited a new breed of producers and storytellers in Los Angeles and New York to build on the success of shows like Meerkat Manor. She works closely with Animal Planet International, redefining its business and brand, and is on the board of the National Children’s Museum.

35. Amy Tykeson, CEO & President, BendBroadband

Tykeson continues to represent the needs and values of small cable operators, and often goes to D.C. to fight for the cable industry. Last year, Tykeson shared the NCTA’s 2007 Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership (with Comcast’s Brian Roberts) for her launches of high-speed data, digital cable, HD, VOD, digital simulcast and digital phone.

36. Jacqueline Hernández, COO, Telemundo Communications Group

Hernández, who has more than 20 years of media experience across print, television and online, is responsible for leading and unifying all sales, marketing and domestic growth platforms for the consolidated Telemundo network and stations group. Throughout her career, she has developed a reputation as a brand builder. She was recognized as one of Advertising Age’s "Top 10 Players in the Hispanic Market" in 2005 and 2007, and was profiled in the magazine’s 2007 "Women to Watch" issue.

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