December 12, 2007

Turner Titans

Philip Kent
Title: Chairman/CEO, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

Mark Lazarus
Title: President, Turner Entertainment Group

Steve Koonin
Title: President, Turner Entertainment Networks

Andrew T. Heller
Title: President, domestic distribution, TBS
Age: 52
Years in Industry: 22
Years left in Industry: “Less than 22”

Why Them? Sometimes Turner just seems like an unstoppable force, with powerful brands, a fully leveraged connection with parent Time Warner and content managed with skill by its talented executive team. The list of recent accomplishments is long: The premiere of TBS’s “House of Payne” was ad-supported cable’s #1 sitcom telecast of all time. TNT’s third-season premiere of “The Closer” broke its own record with the highest delivery of total viewers and households. And Court TV (soon to be truTV) snagged publicity-magnet Star Jones while CNN has been posting impressive numbers with its presidential debates under the smart guidance of Jim Walton, president, CNN News Group. Also due credit is TBS EVP/general counsel Louise Sams, who also serves as president of Turner Broadcasting System International. It doesn’t hurt that Heller and the gang have all worked together for so long. These guys are close. And that leads to operational continuity and excellence.  MG

Andy Heller
Person I most admire in the cable industry and why: “Fred Dressler—Made a career of saying no and making lifelong friends with the people he said it to.”
In my free time, I like to: “Build/fix things, drink good wine with good friends.”
Favorite restaurant: “Impudent Oyster.”
Favorite city: “Chatham, Massachusetts but Hilton Head, South Carolina is catching up.”
Favorite piece of tech: “Blackberry”
Least favorite piece of tech: “Blackberry”


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