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10. Got GameNeal TilesTitle: President, G4 Age: 41 Years in Industry: 11 Dale Hopkins Title: COO, G4 Age: “29” Years in Industry: 29 Years Left in Industry: 29 Why Them? G4 struggled in its early years, but things started looking up in late 2005 when Comcast’s Jeff Shell brought in DirecTV marketer Neal Tiles to become president and promoted G4 veteran Dale Hopkins to COO. Tiles and Hopkins have turned G4 upside down, producing 13 continuous months of year-to-year households ratings growth (G4 says it was the fastest-growing network for 2006 in terms of household impressions). Tiles knows how to get the word out: At the last Upfront, he demonstrated the net’s “G4 Gets Guys” motto by duct-taping a 20-something guy to a truck. Hopkins, meanwhile, has largely spearheaded the net’s online bonanza, including the launch of G4TV.com. Whether it’s gaming tips, beer-swilling banter on “The Man Show” or trading on the “Spock Market” during interactive “Star Trek 2.0,” the nation’s youth increasingly puts G4 on its surfing cue. Hopkins, meanwhile, has no trouble keeping pace, having grown up with nine siblings, three of whom ended up in the cable industry: Ray Hopkins of the YES Network, Peter Hopkins at Time Warner Cable and Keith Hopkins at Comcast. - MG Neal Tiles Person I admire in cable industry: “Can I still claim Tom Freston? He championed and pioneered the concept of networks as brands. And he seemed to place a premium on ‘relevancy’ and ‘authenticity’ among the intended target audience as the driver to overall business growth.” Favorite sports team: “Syracuse Orange. Being an SU fan rewards you with enough ‘scar tissue’ to weather any other disappointing team you might follow.” Favorite Movie line: “Umm, yeah hi, it’s Bill Lumbergh. It looks like I'm gonna need you to come in and work this weekend.” – “Office Space”… “Gets me every time.” Favorite piece of tech: “It’s a three way tie as follows: Sling Box (1) which allows me to control/watch my home Tivo (2) from my Treo 700w cell phone (3).” Favorite TV shows not on my network: “The Office,” “Heroes,” “Frontline” (“no kidding”) Dale Hopkins Person in industry I’d like to work for: Rupert Murdoch Favorite line from a TV show: "I love it when a plan comes together." - George Peppard, “The A Team.” Favorite piece of technology: My Treo Favorite sports team: New York Yankees Favorite song: “Positively 4th Street” by Bob Dylan Click here to return to the 2006 CFAX 100 List |
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