Cablefax The Magazine - June 2013 - 39

59 | HOME & ABROAD
Brooke Johnson
Title: President, Food Category,
Scripps Networks Interactive
Education: BA and MA, Northwestern
University
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less:
Work hard; give other people credit.
Laureen Ong
Title: President, Travel Channel
Years in Cable: 21
Education: MA, Columbia University;
BA, Montclair State
Best Advice in 7 Words or
Less: Have the courage to be
vulnerable.
Burton Jablin
Title: President, Home Category,
Scripps Networks Interactive
(pictured, right)
Years in Cable: 19
Education: BA, Harvard University
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less:
Stay focused on what matters.
Why Them? Turns out you can go
home again. And again. Scripps has
built an empire around the lifestyle
categories of food, home and most
recently, travel-and Johnson,
Ong and Jablin are the stewards
of each respective category. There
are never too many cooks tuning
into Food Network and Cooking
Channel, which Johnson continues
to fortify with new programming and
complement with a powerhouse of
brand extensions including new wine
portfolio Entwine. Ong is bringing
tremendous growth to Travel Channel,
including the acquisition of TC
International and hit " The Layover "
app. Manning the home front is
Jablin, the patriarch of HGTV and
DIY and its expanding roster of hits.
Buoyed by the 2012 series launches
" Buying & Selling, " " Love It or List It "
and " Hawaii Life, " HGTV's increased
focus on home-buying led to its best
Q1 ever in 2013 Primetime and Total
Day, with viewership up 8% during
the quarter vs. 2012. Now that's
something to write home about.
Ong
Apple or Samsung? Samsung
Beatles or The Rolling Stones?
Beatles
On a Saturday afternoon, you
can find me.. birding and bicycling.
This is the hobby I've been
itching to try, but haven't found
time: Bonsais
Film fest or music festival? Film
Jablin
This is the hobby I've been
itching to try, but haven't found
time: Learn to play the piano.
Appetizer or dessert? Appetizer
I consider this person my
mentor, and here's why: Frank
Gardner, retired executive at E.W.
Scripps, Fox, and CBS-the person
most responsible for giving me a
chance at every phase of my career
and an example of intelligence, integrity,
and intensity in our industry.
If I could tell my 21-year-old
self something today, it would
be... have more fun and try not to
worry so much.
Favorite vacation spot? Queenstown,
New Zealand ■
60 | COME SAIL AWAY
Chris Albrecht
Title: CEO, Starz Entertainment
Years in Cable: 28
Education: BA, dramatic literature, Hofstra University
Glenn Curtis
Title: President, Starz Entertainment
Years in Cable: 27
Education: BSBA, University of Colorado
Why Them? These two dynamos have driven Starz's business to record
revenue and subscriptions. What's their next act? Original programming.
First up is pirate thriller " Black Sails, " a Treasure Island prequel of sorts
from Michael Bay and slated to debut in 2014. Albrecht and Curtis are
also busy mining the Starz Play authenticated platform, and growing
distribution avenues. The company this year locked in an extended deal
CableFAX: The Magazine
June 2013
with Sony for continued access to first-run films for an additional five
years. They're also focusing on development and investment in the wake
of Starz's independence as a new publicly traded company. ■
cablefaxmag.com
39
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