45. Ladies’ Room

Betty Cohen
Resume: President/CEO Lifetime Entertainment Services
Age: Still a Key Demo
Last Year: 57
Years in the Industry: More Than 25

Gerry Laybourne
Resume: Chairman/CEO Oxygen Media
Age: 59
Last year: 57
Years in Industry: 27

Kim Martin
Resume: GM, WE tv
Age: 46
Last year: 57
Years in Industry: 19
Years left in the industry: “As long as I’m learning and having fun, I’m staying!”

Why Them? All three of these successful leaders have established themselves as role models for other women in the industry. And they’ve all had something to brag about this year. Betty Cohen’s first year and a half on the job has been anything but calm. She began 2006 with a raucous carriage spat with EchoStar that resulted in a pending lawsuit with DirecTV. But the net has stayed the course and remained a top network. Lifetime rolled out a number of new media initiatives and premiered the immensely popular “Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale”—which went down as the 2nd most-watched flick in Lifetime history. Cohen also gets the nod for continuing Lifetime’s successful advocacy campaigns. This fall the net delivered more than 12 million signatures to the Hill urging the passage of a Breast Cancer Protection Act. Laybourne celebrated Oxygen surpassing the 70 million home mark, about six years after launch. We also tip our hats to her for helping debunk the myth that women are technophobes. Oxygen’s “Girls Gone Wired,” which found women prefer the newest high-tech cell phone over a pair of designer shoes, was widely quoted in newspapers, morning shows and even on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Over at WE, Martin rang in the net’s fifth anniversary with record ratings. Many eyes are now watching to see how the net will continue to bolster original programming following the June hires of well-respected Discovery programming vets Steve Cheskin and Gena McCarthy. - AM

Betty Cohen

What is your favorite word: "Redemption.”
What is your least favorite word: "Can’t.”
What turns you on: “Visionaries who make it happen; dark chocolate.”
What turns you off: “Passive aggressiveness; milk chocolate.”
What sound do you love: “Pacific Ocean.”
What sound do you hate: “Jackhammers at dawn. I live in NYC now.”
What profession other than yours would you like to attempt: “University President.”
What profession would you not like to participate in: “Surgeon.”
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates: “You done good!”

Gerry Laybourne

Person I most admire in the cable industry and why: “John Malone—for his brains, his guts, his leadership.”
Biggest cable surprise of 2006: “Tom Freston’s sudden departure.”
Top personal achievement in 2006: “Does 70 million ring a bell?”
Person (other than my current boss) who I’d most like to work for: “Barack Obama.”
Favorite line from a movie or TV show: “I hate spunk.”
Three things I would take with me to a desert island: “My family, my BlackBerry and my cashmere robe.”
Favorite movie: “Half Nelson”
Favorite restaurant: Kasadela, NY
Least favorite piece of tech: “Landline phone.”
The world would be a better place if: “Women represented over 20% of leadership positions.”
What is your favorite word? “Yes.”
What sound do you love? “The sound of the letter ‘M’—my son’s name is SaM and my daughter is EMMY.”
What sound do you hate? “Whining.”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “Architect.”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Lawyer.”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “She doesn’t say anything; she just smiles and winks.”

Kim Martin

Defining career moment: “Getting three hit series on WE in my 1st year as GM.”
In my free time, I like to: “Be a soccer mom.”
Favorite restaurant: Shelly’s Seafood in NYC.
Favorite line from a movie or TV show: “Nobody puts Baby in the corner!” – Patrick Swayze, “Dirty Dancing”

Click here to return to the 2006 CFAX 100 List.