Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014 - 15

14 | Duke of Distribution
Mike Biard
Title: President, Distribution, Fox Networks
Years in Cable: 15
Education: BA, Biology-Psychology, Columbia
University; JD, Loyola Law School
Best Advice: Work hard, play hard, sleep well.
Biard dares to take on
the complexities that
come with brokering
distribution deals for
present platforms and
uncertain futures.
Fox Sports 1 and
FXX both got off the
ground last year
thanks to his bold negotiations. Recently promoted,
he now runs the lion's share of distribution
for Fox Networks. It's a massive undertaking but
this guy's up to the challenge.
John, Paul, George or Ringo? George-the understated
glue...
Twitter or Instagram? Twitter-wasting time, 140
characters at a time...
My favorite newfound hobby: Backpacking (off
the grid)
One thing I would do all the time if I could:
Cycle--road or mountain
Justin Bieber or Miley? Or a slow, painful death?
Not even close.
Beach or mountains? Mountains-any time of year!
Desert island album? U2, Joshua Tree ■
16 | Homeland Security
Matthew C.
Blank
Title: Chairman/CEO,
Showtime Networks
Years in Cable: 38
Education: University
of PA's Wharton School
of Business; MBA,
Baruch College.
Best Advice: Never
give advice.
With Blank steering the ship, Showtime continues
to grow new premium subscribers-a
million each year for six of the past seven
years-in a world where subs are increasingly
hard to come by. And he continues to
Cablefax: The Magazine
15 | More of a
Good Thing
Richard Plepler
Title: CEO, HBO
Years in Cable: 20+
Education: BA in Government
Best Advice: " Never let anyone
monkey with your swing. "
- Ted Williams
Michael
Lombardo
Title: President, HBO
Programming
Years in Cable: 20+
Education: Law Degree
Best Advice: Work, work,
play, work, work, play.
HBO continues to meet viewers'
outlandishly high expectations
with a programming
slate that garners critical
acclaim and HBO Go crashing
audiences. Much of the
credit goes Lombardo, who
has taken on more responsibility
with the departure of
Sue Naegle. And with Eric
Kessler out of the picture,
Pleper will similarly carry
more of the load. As several
of the network's longestrunning
shows entering
their final seasons, it's up
to Lombardo and Pleper to
keep the hits coming.
Lombardo
I watch the majority of
programming on this
device: TV
John, Paul, George or
Ringo? It's all about George
Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram
create new opportunities for the brand, such
as solidifying the network as the go-to destination
for boxing. It's clearly working: Floyd
Mayweather's fight against Canelo Alvarez
last September was the highest-grossing PPV
event of all time. Blank also had big plans
for multiplatform and TV Everywhere, and the
results are in: The network's authentication
service Showtime Anytime expanded its reach
to 80% of its subs, with a goal of reaching
100% penetration in 2014.
I watch the majority of programming on
this device: TV
TV show I'd most like to have a cameo in?
" Masters of Sex "
John, Paul, George or Ringo? George
Cable exec I'd most like to see twerking?
Brian Roberts
April 2014
Favorite Restaurant: Hatfields
Beach or mountains? Beach
Desert island album?
Morning Phase by Beck
Favorite TV show as a kid?
" The Jeffersons "
The last time I had a good
laugh: Today in a meeting
with Michael Patrick King
My favorite business/motivational
book: The Tipping Point
Plepler
Oscars or Grammys?
Oscars
Favorite Restaurant: Sette
Mezzo
Beach or mountains? Beach
Desert island album? Nora
Jones, Come Away with Me
My favorite business/
motivational book: The
Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton
M. Christensen ■
Cable exec I'd least like to see twerking?
Brian Roberts
I wish Congress would just... Get along.
Frank Underwood or Nick Brody? Nick Brody
The technology that will most benefit cable
over the next year is: Internet speed
Oscars or Grammys? Oscars
Favorite Restaurant: Maialino Restaurant
Favorite vacation spot: Italy
Alec Baldwin... NY or LA? New York
Desert island album? Any Rolling Stones
Favorite TV show as a kid? " Man from
U.N.C.L.E. "
The last time I had a good laugh: Last time I
filled out this survey.
Dish I can make and that would impress a
celebrity chef: Take out
My favorite business/motivational book: The
Tipping Point ■
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Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014

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