62. The Indie Affiliates

Janice Arouh
Title: SVP, network distribution and service, Hallmark Channels
Age: “Old enough to know better.”
Years in Industry: “Enough to know better.”
Years left in the industry: “Not enough.”

Jim Bates
Title: EVP/GM, HRTV
Age: “Old enough to remember the Sat A Dat.”
Years in Industry: “Since back when a 10-meter dish was a questionable purchase.”

Steve Friedman
Title: President, ION Media Networks Cable Division
Age: “Old enough to remember what HBO was called before it was HBO—but young enough to have an Usher CD”
Years in Industry: 23

Ron Garfield
Title: COO, Ovation
Years in Industry: “7 years in cable TV; 24 years in TV overall.”
Years Left in Industry: “That's up to my doctor.”

Amy Hendrickson
Title: SVP, affiliate sales and mktg, The Outdoor Channel

Brad Samuels
Title: EVP, affiliate sales and marketing
Age: 46
Years in Industry: 20

Why Them? Indie nets don't get the attention they deserve. But these content guerrillas are truly the heart and soul of the cable industry. Those listed above are the true evangelists for their respective nets. Without them, subs would have fewer choices. We salute them all. 

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Janice Arouh

Defining career moment: “WICT LEA lifetime achievement award, 2005”
Person I most admire in the cable industry and why: “Anne Sweeney, everything she touches turns to gold.”
Person (other than my current boss) who I'd most like to work for: “Anne Sweeney”
In my free time, I like to: “Make origami paper airplanes for my five-year-old son, Alec.”
Favorite restaurant: “Breakfast at United Airlines; dinner at American Airlines”
Favorite city: “Wailea, Maui”
Three things I would take with me to a desert island: “My husband, daughter Mackenzie (13) and son Alec (5)”
Favorite song: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Favorite TV show: “Nip/Tuck”
Favorite sports team: “Anything Cleveland”
Favorite piece of tech: “DVR”
Least favorite piece of tech: “Cell phone”
The world would be a better place if: “Hallmark Channel was seen in every home in America”

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Jim Bates

What is your favorite word? “Thanks”
What is your least favorite word?  “Not for publication”                    
What turns you on? “My family.”
What turns you off?  “Idiotic snobs.”
What sound do you love? “Golf ball hitting the club.”    
What sound do you hate?  “Jackhammer”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “Acting”
What profession would you not like to participate in?  “Trash collection”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Nice work, you were a positive influence in people’s lives.”

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Steve Friedman

What is your favorite word? “Capitulate”
What is your least favorite word? “No”
What turns you on? “Bandwidth”
What turns you off? “No Bandwidth”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “Ministry”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Politics”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

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Ron Garfield

What is your favorite word? “Two words: ‘New launch’.”
What is your least favorite word? “MFN”
What turns you on? “New launches.”
What turns you off? “MFN”
What sound do you love? “The powerful revving of a Harley engine.”
What sound do you hate? “The noise of that Harley—and me—crashing into my neighbor's wall.”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “Pirate”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Snake handler. I hate snakes.”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Hey, I'm as surprised as you are.”
 

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Brad Samuels

I knew the cable industry was for me when: “I walked into my first MTV Video Music Awards after-party.”
In my free time, I like to: “Play guitar while coaching my son’s soccer team while playing cards with my daughter while pulling my other two kids on an inner tube on my boat with my wife at a movie.”
Favorite city: New Orleans
Three things I would take with me to a deserted island: “My wife, my iPod, my guitar.”
Favorite song: “Bodhisattva” – Steely Dan
Favorite movie: “The Verdict”
I wish cable would: “‘Google-ize’ the TV experience to give viewers a great video search experience.”  
Favorite piece of tech: “Blackberry 8700C – it’s my best friend.”

Click here to return to the 2006 CFAX 100 List.