Cablefax The Magazine - December 2012 - 4

cablefaxmag.com
editorial
Executive Editor, CableFAX Group
Michael Grebb
Managing Editor
THE FOUR-MINUTE MILE...
Cable used to be such an easy business. Few competitors, reliable
cashflow and straightforward content negotiations. Obviously those
days ended years ago as satellite competitors pushed everyone into
digital, and then cable pushed back with a broadband product that
raised the bar on everyone, especially the foot-dragging telcos that
have since stepped up in a big way. And because of all that bandwidth,
Silicon Valley wants a piece of the action with OTT plays that increasingly
threaten cable's core businesses.
It's an insanely competitive world now, and that's why the executives
who drive overall strategy (ie, the ones at the very top) are more important
than ever. They need to understand everything from the technology
to the economy to consumer desires to financial realities to negotiating
tactics and beyond-all just to keep their businesses afloat, much
less thriving. The bar has never been higher for execs who end up on
the CableFAX 100 power list. They must be smarter than ever, quicker
than ever and, frankly, more laser-beam focused on the customer than
ever before. It's not as if the old-school leaders who built this industry
weren't incredibly talented capitalists who risked it all to grow the business.
They were. But the modern cable executive has it even tougher
because technology and consumer behavior are changing so much
faster than equipment cycles or annual budget projections. Nimble is
the new black. And it's never been more important to stay in fashion.
Our CableFAX 100 leaders are kind of like Olympic athletes. Go back
decades, and you'll find examples of distance runners, high jumpers,
swimmers and others who seemingly set records that could never be
broken. Consider this: For hundreds of years, the " experts " said the
human body was incapable of breaking the 4-minute mile. Then, on
May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister did just that. People wrote it off as a onetime
anomaly. Until another person broke it. Then another. These days,
running a 4-minute mile is routine. How is it that no one was ever able
to do it before 1954? Because people finally realized it was possible.
It started in the mind, and the body followed. Cable execs must now
monitor and maneuver around more obstacles
and challenges than ever. Years ago, people
might have looked around and called it an impossible
task. Not anymore. The bar is raised. And it
will be higher in the future. Get ready to run...
Cathy Applefeld Olson
contributors
Seth Arenstein, Nick Dmytrenko, Debbie Galante,
Michael Grebb, Kaylee Hultgren, Amy Maclean,
Cathy Applefeld Olson, Joyce Wang
advertising/business
senior vice president, Media Communications Group
Diane Schwartz
(212) 621-4964, dschwartz@accessintel.com
Group Publisher, Media Entertainment
Denise O'Connor
(203) 899-8469, doconnor@accessintel.com
Associate Publisher, CableFAX Group
Amy Abbey
(301) 354-1629, aabbey@accessintel.com
Sales Manager, CableFAX Group
Susan Kim
(301) 354-2010, skim@accessintel.com
design/production
Joanne Moran, jmoran@accessintel.com
senior production manager
Joann M. Fato
(301) 354-1681, jfato@accessintel.com
director of marketing
Laurie Hofmann
(301) 354-1796, lhofmann@accessintel.com
list sales
Worldata (561) 393-8200
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