December 12, 2007

Showtime's Rise

Name: Matt Blank
Title: Chairman/CEO, Showtime
Age: 57
Years in Industry: 31        
Years left in Industry: “Ask Leslie Moonves.”

Name: Robert Greenblatt
Title: Pres, entertainment, Showtime Networks
Age: 47
Years in Industry: 19
Years left in Industry: “2, then I retire to Fiji.”

Why Them? Without Tony Soprano around to whack the competition, Showtime is drawing more buzz these days while HBO licks its wounds from the Albrecht scandal and the failed “John from Cincinnati.” Blank has worked tirelessly to perfect an environment where his Showtime can turn out shows that are slightly edgier—and often smarter—than the competition, like “Sleeper Cell,” “Weeds” and 2007 hit debut “Californication.” The payoff is not only showing up in ratings, but in a now-continuous wave of big-name talent who want Showtime billing, including John Rhys Davies, Marie-Louise Parker and Peter O’Toole, who took a role on “The Tudors” this year. The network’s fresh wit continues on. Greenblatt’s take on the tweens-in-musicals trend? A new feature documentary that will focus on cut-throat hijinks behind the curtain of high school musicals in a small Indiana town. Only on Showtime.  CAO

Matt Blank
Biggest cable surprise of 2007: “Showtime!!!”
Top personal achievement in 2007: “Californication”
In my free time, I like to: “See films, play golf.”
Favorite TV show: “CSI”
Favorite movie: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Favorite sports team: “Yankees”
Favorite piece of tech: “Blackberry/video iPod”
Least favorite piece of tech: “My universal remote.”
The world would be a better place if: “All technology was wireless.”

Robert Greenblatt
I knew the cable industry was for me when: “My show ‘Six Feet Under’ got on the air.”
Defining career moment: “Being involved in the development of ‘The X Files’ and ‘The Sopranos’.”
Biggest cable surprise of 2006: “The success of ‘Broken Trail’ on AMC.”
Top personal achievement in 2006: “Launching ‘Dexter’ and ‘Brotherhood,’ two of the most critically acclaimed shows on television.”
Person (other than my current boss) who I’d most like to work for: “Peter Chernin”
Favorite line from a movie or TV show: “Don’t f**k with me boys. This isn’t my first time at the rodeo.”
Favorite TV show: “M*A*S*H”
Favorite movie: Tootsie, All The President’s Men
I wish cable would: “Keep pushing the envelope.”
Favorite piece of tech: “Blackberry”
The world would be a better place if: “No one had Blackberrys.”


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