December 12, 2007

The Jedi Masters

Brian L. Roberts
Title: Chairman/CEO, Comcast Corporation
Age: 48
Years in Industry: 25+

Stephen Burke
Title: President, Comcast Cable; COO, Comcast Corp.

Glenn Britt
Title: President/CEO, Time Warner Cable
Age: 58

Why Them? It’s no secret that consolidation has concentrated power in the cable industry. And with nemeses attacking from all sides—DBS (Darth Blotting the Sun), telcos, Kevin Martin’s FCC—the cable universe needs strong leaders to keep the Cable Republic from falling into the abyss. That’s why we look to the leaders of the top two cable operators, which together now control about a third of all U.S. cable households. That’s a lot of influence. And it’s up to Jedi Masters like Brian Roberts, Steve Burke and Glenn Britt to keep those subscribers from bolting to the Dark Side, which now includes not only DBS but the telcos as well. It won’t be easy. After a nice triple-play-fueled run on Wall Street in ’06, this year has been more of a challenge with analysts heaping praise (and higher stock prices) on Verizon and AT&T while Comcast and Time Warner Cable’s stocks hover at 52-week lows. Blame the telco PR juggernaut, as well as DirecTV’s ability to convince everyone its HD offerings will kick cable’s keister. And of course, there are those very real basic sub losses. But fear not: These corporate cable titans have plenty up their sleeves for ’08, including more HD channels fueled by capacity-saving technologies like switched digital video—not to mention the “wideband” future demonstrated so ably by Roberts during the 2007 Cable Show. It’s going to be a fight for the souls of the galaxy. Use the Force, Master Brian.  MG

Brian Roberts

I knew the cable industry was for me when: “Customers lined up to buy our products.”
In my free time, I like to: “Watch my kids play squash.”
Favorite sports team: “Philadelphia, Flyers”
I wish cable would: “Keep innovating.”
The world would be a better place if: “Everyone was like Jim Robbins.”

Glenn Britt
I knew the cable industry was for me when: “When I got a job offer.”
In my free time, I like to: “Read, especially history and bestseller fiction.”
Favorite restaurant: “Sistina”
Favorite city: “New York”
Favorite TV show: “Anything that is Start Over enabled.”