October 9, 2007

Former Cable Leaders Ailing

Cable Hall of Fame ceremony will be subdued with news of Jim Robbins and Fred Dressler's respective battles with cancer.

Oct. 11 update — We're sad to report that former Cox Communications president and CEO Jim Robbins passed away yesterday; please see our tribute to Robbins for more on his legacy.

Earlier (Oct. 9) — Thursday evening’s Cable Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Denver will be a bit sad as news spreads around the industry that 2006 inductee and former Cox Communications chief Jim Robbins is ailing.

Robbins, who was inducted into cable's hall of fame last year, has been battling cancer for months and the disease has spread to his brain and liver. Word is that treatment has stopped.

More bad news that will tamp down the festivities at The Cable Center events this week: former Time Warner Cable EVP of programming Fred Dressler was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last week.

Needless to say the entire cable industry is hoping for the best for these two fine gentlemen. — Seth Arenstein