Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014 - 20

27 | Ascendants
28 | Holding all
the Cards
Albert Cheng
Title: EVP/Chief Product Officer, Digital Media, Disney/
ABC Television Group
Years in Cable: 15
Education: MIT; MBA from Harvard University Graduate
School of Business Administration
Best Advice: Find your passion; play your strengths.
Gary Marsh
Title: President/Chief Creative
Officer, Disney Channels
Worldwide
Years in Cable: 25
Education: UCLA
Best Advice: Act as if...
Ben Pyne
Title: President, Global Distribution,
Disney Media Networks
Years in Cable: 22
Education: BA, Princeton University;
MBA, Harvard Business
School
Best Advice: Carpe diem
Things are rosy in Disney land, and these three men
have a lot to do with it. Marsh's creative vision drives
a roster of consistent hits, including a banner year for
Disney Junior in its first 356 days as a Nielsen-rated
net, upcoming " Star Wars Rebels " on Disney XD, a
string of live-action hits on Disney Channel and upcoming
movies like " Descendants, " a look at the offspring
of some of Disney's biggest villains. Cheng remains a
pioneer in extending Disney's reach into digital realms.
Next-gen versions of WATCH Disney TVE products are
on their way, and will include short-form content and
games. And Pyne is crushing distribution barriers, including
Disney's recent Internet-only deal with DirecTV.
Cheng
I watch the majority of programming on this
device: iPad
TV show I'd most like to have a cameo in? " Sherlock "
Twitter or Instagram? Twitter
One thing I would do all the time if I could:
Songwriting
The technology that will most benefit cable over
the next year is: Broadband
Favorite Restaurant: Every local favorite in Korea-town
Beach or mountains? Beach
Favorite TV show as a kid? " The Electric Company "
The last time I had a good laugh: My wife as color
commentator during each episode of " The Bachelor "
If someone forced me to cut the cord and only
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cablefaxmag.com
watch 3 over-the-top shows, they would be:
" House of Cards, " " Arrested Development " and " Smosh "
Marsh
I watch the majority of programming on this device:
A big screen TV
TV show I'd most like to have a cameo in?
" Mad Money "
John, Paul, George or Ringo? Ringo? Really?!?
I wish Congress would just... Stop lying about
their true agenda.
My favorite newfound hobby: TsumTsum
My ideal celebrity partner on Dancing with the
Stars: Cheryl Burke!
Favorite vacation spot: Idyllwild
Who's on tap for the next big comeback?
Shia LaBeouf
Desert island album? Neil Young, Harvest
Favorite TV show as a kid? " All In The Family "
Pyne
I watch the majority of programming on this
device: TV
Oscars or Grammys? Oscars
Favorite Restaurant: Taillevant in Paris
Beach or mountains? Mountains
Dish I can make and that would impress a
celebrity chef: Butterfly boneless roast of lamb in
tomato and garlic sauce
My favorite business/motivational book: Only the
Paranoid Survive by Andy Grave ■
April 2014
Cablefax: The Magazine
Reed Hastings
Title: CEO/Co-Founder, Netflix
Education: BA, Bowdoin College;
MSCS, Stanford
Ted Sarandos
Title: Chief Content Officer, Netflix
Netflix's star is rising faster than
Frank Underwood conquered the Oval
Office. In fact, these guys didn't even
make our list last year. Originally concocted
quaintly as the " Amazon.com
for DVDs, " Hastings' business experiment
quickly evolved into a leader of
streaming and original programming.
The company pulled in more than
2.3 million new subscribers in Q4
2013 alone and surged past the
quality content behemoth known as
HBO in total subs. The recent growth
surge can be attributed to Sarandos'
push toward content you can only
find on Netflix. Perhaps you've heard
of " House of Cards? " Hastings and
Sarandos aim to put their profits
back into the original programming
that's fueled the company's growth,
investing about $3 billion before
year's end. It's ambitious, but so far
it's working. ■
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Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014

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