Cablefax The Magazine - June 2013 - 18

21 | REMOTE CONTROL
22 | THE TRIPLE PLAYER
Greg Rigdon
Title: EVP, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable
Education: Oberlin College, MA, Russian Studies,
Princeton
Why Him? Every network wants to be on Comcast,
and Rigdon's the executive they ultimately have
to convince. Rigdon keeps a relatively low profile,
but his influence is high. Case in point: El Rey. It is
one of four minority-owned networks that Comcast
agreed to launch as part of FCC conditions for the
NBCU transaction.We suspect that Univision's decision
to make a significant strategic investment in
the English-language net directly relates to its guaranteed
carriage with the MSO when it launches in
December. Rigdon also scores points for Comcast's
extensive Xfinity TV Everywhere library. Look for him
and his team to increasingly negotiate content deals
that cross multiple platforms and devices. ■
David Zagin
Title: President, Distribution, A+E Networks
Years in Cable: 26
Education: Syracuse University School of Mgmt
Best Advice: Look forward, you can't change the past.
Why Him? Zagin's
influence is as
indisputable as the
heavy portfolio he
handles, with A&E,
History and Lifetime
each on the cusp of
100 million households
and Lifetime Movie
Network at a more
than respectable 82
million. In fact, this
cable veteran now
oversees all affiliate
sales revenue,
domestic distribution and affiliate marketing for the big three, plus LMN, Bio,
H2, Lifetime Real Women, Military History, History en Español, and Crime &
Investigation. The WICT board member is also AETN's new media and business
development champion, touting VOD, broadband, interactive, gaming and
mobile distribution.
Apple or Samsung? Apple (and I still carry a Blackberry as a back-up device).
Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Neither. My preference is Bruce Springsteen.
On a Saturday afternoon, you can find me... if it's a nice day then
hopefully on the golf course.
Appetizer or dessert? Appetizer. I'm not a big sweets person.
I watch the majority of programming on: TV. iPad is a distant second, but
getting closer.
If I could tell my 21-year-old self something today, it would be...
without getting into specifics, it is the same advice that I give to my 20-yearold
son today. ■
23 | BUNDLE UP?
Denise Denson
Title: EVP,
Content Distribution & Marketing,
Viacom Media Networks
Why Her? No rest for the weary.
Having put to bed Viacom's heady
dispute with DirecTV that left a little
18
egg on its face in 2012, Denson had
a small reprieve before Cablevision
struck this winter. The distributor
launched a lawsuit against Viacom
over bundling in February, and
Denson-who oversees multiplatform
distribution for Viacom's
cable portfolio including MTV,
Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET,
Spike, TV Land and Epix-is once
cablefaxmag.com
again back in the throes of a public
tussle. Though Viacom insists the
suit is without merit, it certainly has
grabbed its share of headlines. And
this mother of five is no doubt used
to negotiating and juggling competing
interests. She's continuing to
work to secure long-term distribution
deals, recently with the likes of
Netflix and Hulu. ■
June 2013
CableFAX: The Magazine
http://www.cablefaxmag.com
Cablefax The Magazine - June 2013

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