Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014 - 35

53 | GM
Brigade
thank goodness.
Dirk Hoogstra
Title: EVP/GM, History and
H2 (pictured immediate
right, 2nd from left)
Years in Cable: 18
Education: BA, Psychology
Best Advice: Follow your
passion.
David McKillop
Title: EVP/GM, A&E (pictured,
far right column)
Years in Cable: 30
Education: BA, History &
Biology
Best Advice: Have a vision,
be demanding.
Rob Sharenow
Title: EVP/GM, Lifetime
Years in Cable: 14
Education: Brandeis
University
Best Advice in 7 Words
or Less: Know what you
want and go for it. (that's
eight, but who's counting?)
As the heads of A&E's
biggest nets, this trio has a
pulse on what's hot. From
" Vikings, " to " Bates Motel "
to those " Devious Maids. "
But there's more to their
success than those hit series.
McKillop led the rollout of a
new brand identity for A&E
this past year, including the
new tagline " Be Original. "
Sharenow and company are
busy rebuilding Lifetime's
brand, bringing a record 400
hours to Lifetime in 2014.
And Hoogstra can be counted
on to lead the vision for H2,
with a smorgasbord of new
series in the works.
Hoogstra
Desert Island Album?
Frank Black, Frank Black
Beach or Mountains?
Both... simultaneously.
The last time I had a
54 | Team Captain
Eric Shanks
Title: President/COO/Executive
Producer, Fox Sports
Years in Cable: 15
Education: Indiana University
Best Advice: Find the fire before
getting your hose.
55 | Power Up
Chris Albrecht
Title: CEO, Starz
Best Advice: Stay close to
smart and talented people.
More than one year in as
a publicly traded company,
Starz is delivering big-time
for investors with stock at two
Cablefax: The Magazine
Fox Sports 1 and 2 leapt onto televisions
last year with the biggest sports
network cable launch in history.
times its spin-out price from
Liberty. The success flows
directly from the vision of its
chief, Albrecht. With Starz
at 22 million and Encore at
35 million subscribers and
counting, Albrecht is working
to increase African-American,
Latino and baby boomer
audiences. Case in point
is scripted comedy series
Shanks oversaw the endeavor, absorbing
the previous channels' offerings
and beefing up the programming
slate. He began 2014, boldly enough,
with the Super Bowl, producing more
than 90 hours of exclusive live events,
programs and specials on FOX Sports
1 in the lead-up week. With more
than 6 Emmys, he's one of the most
" Survivor's Remorse, " which
will be executive produced
by NBA superstar LeBron
James. And Albrecht's going
gangbusters on original
programming, from Michael
Bay's " Black Sails " to " Da
Vinci's Demons " to " Power, "
with 50 Cent. He promises
50 hours of original programming
this year, up from 36 in
April 2014
good laugh? When my
daughter told her class during
a presentation that her
daddy makes adult films.
Dish I can make that
would impress celebrity
chef? Sloppy Joe from
scratch. Wicked good.
Favorite show as a kid?
" Tenspeed " and " Brownshoe "
McKillop
Cable exec I'd most like
to see twerking? I think
twerking may be dead,
Least like to see twerking?
No more twerking!
Justin Bieber or Miley?
Miley. Scary to say she seems
more in control.
Favorite vacation spot:
Northern France and Old
Lyme, CT
Who's on deck for the
next celebrity meltdown?
Betty White
Sharenow
TV show I'd most like
to have a cameo in? I'm
already negotiating to be a
bloody victim in one of our
scripted series " Witches
of East End " or " Devious
Maids. "
One thing I would do all
the time if I could: Watch
more TV. Seriously. I'm way
behind on almost all of my
shows.
Oscars or Grammys? Emmys,
of course.
The last time I had a
good laugh: My wife and
I both laughed extremely
hard during a few scenes
of " The Wolf of Wall Street. "
One of the reasons we're
so well matched is because
we have the same strange
sense of humor. ■
influential TV execs in sports.
TV show I'd most like to have a
cameo in? " Eastbound & Down "
I'd do all the time if I could: Read
CableFAX (good answer, Eric).
Ideal celebrity partner on Dancing
with the Stars: Joe Buck
Favorite business book: Memos
from the Chairman ■
2013, with plans to spiral to
75 hours in a few years.
I watch the majority of
programming on this
device: Television set
The biggest innovation in
cable over the last year:
TWC/Comcast merger
The technology that will
most benefit cable over
the next year: High-speed
Favorite Restaurant: Nobu
Malibu ■
cablefaxmag.com
35
http://www.cablefaxmag.com
Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cablefax The Magazine - April 2014
