Cablefax The Magazine - April 2017 - 20

26. THE GOLDEN TOUCH
Ed Carroll
COO
AMC Networks
Years in Cable: 30
Education: SUNY New Paltz
" Mad Men " and " Breaking
Bad " may be over, but it's
obvious Carroll hasn't lost
his golden touch. In addition
to expanding AMC Networks
International to more than
140 countries and territories
around the world, he continues
to extend his programming
legacy through AMC Studios and across all five AMC Networks-
AMC, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV and WE tv. While AMC and BBC
America have high-profile hits like " The Walking Dead " and " Orphan Black, "
IFC, SundanceTV and WE tv have seen significant ratings growth. With
a spate of new originals ready to debut, Carroll could be adding another
decade onto his own golden age of television.
Q&A
Three years from now-what do you hope will be invented? A Time
Machine
Which TV family is most like your own? Walter White's from AMC's
" Breaking Bad. "
If president Trump tweeted about you-what would he say? " Nobody
knew Ed was that complicated. "
What product or service could you not live without? Spotify.
Last show I watched not on my networks: " Better Things " (FX). ■
27. THREE WISE MEN
Mel Berning
President & Chief
Revenue Officer
A+E Networks
Years in Cable: 14
Education: UVA
undergrad; MBA,
MSJ, Media Studies,
Columbia
One Word that
Best Describes Me:
Determined
David
Granville-Smith
COO & CFO
A+E Networks
Years in Cable: 3
Education: Brown
University
One Word that
Best Describes Me:
Dependable
David Zagin
President,
Distribution
A+E Networks
Years in Cable: 30
Education: Syracuse University
One Word that Best Describes Me: Tenacious
The A+E Networks' portfolio was an anchor
tenant on the DirecTV Now " skinny " service, and
20
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distribution chief Zagin continues to push for new
pipes through which to distribute the company's
programming. He oversaw a broad renewal
agreement with Time Warner Cable, and predicts
OTT delivery will gain market share. GranvilleSmith,
meanwhile, has leveraged his financial
experience from positions at J.P. Morgan, Bear
Stearns and Smith Barney to help CEO Nancy
Dubuc engineer key investments. One is the
10 percent stake A+E took in burgeoning Vice
Media as well as growing A+E Studios, which
has created home-grown hits including Lifetime's
" UnREAL " and enables the company to participate
more fully in shows' financial success.
Berning, who joined A+E in 2012 from the media
agency world, brings an entrepreneurial sense of
how to monetize the company's stable of familiar
brands.
Berning Q&A
What inspires you most about this industry?
Its energy and passion.
Three years from now, what do you hope has
been invented? Linear ad targeting.
What are the top three qualities you look for
in a hire? Smarts, intelligence and being a team
player.
How do you celebrate your birthday? With my
brown lab, Gus.
What product or service could you not live
without? My Yeti Rambler
Last show I watched not on my networks:
" Billions "
New favorite binge: " The Crown "
April 2017
Granville-Smith Q&A
The best thing about fast broadband is ...
Any information that you need is now at your
fingertips.
What are the top three qualities you look
for in a hire? The three Ls...the ability to listen,
learn and lead.
How long is your morning commute? 20-minute
walk.
Last show I watched not on my network:
" Homeland "
Best way to spend a Saturday night: Movie
night with the family.
New favorite binge: " The Crown "
Zagin Q&A
Three years from now, what do you hope has
been invented? It's not a matter of being invented,
but I would like to see the industry work
together to control password sharing. Sharing
credentials is contributing to the decline of MVPD
subscribers, which is hurting all of us.
My OTT prediction is... OTT will carve a successful
niche in the industry. Can't predict how
big it will get, but it will gain market share. A few
of the OTT players will survive long-term.
How long is your morning commute? A very
pleasant 45-minute walk... unless it rains, then
a crowded 10-minute subway ride.
Last show I watched not on my networks:
" This Is Us "
Best way to spend a Saturday night: Dinner
with friends. And the occasional dinner with family
when the kids are both in town.
New favorite binge: " Billions " ■
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Cablefax The Magazine - April 2017

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