Cablefax The Magazine - September 2017 - 8

THE LEADERS
7. Oprah Winfrey
Chairman & CEO
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
Media mogul Winfrey is personally involved in all of OWN's creative decisions. And in
2016, she took that involvement even further by starring in the scripted series " Greenleaf. "
Her critically acclaimed return to television has been supplemented by a series
from Golden Globe-nominated director Ava DuVernay, dubbed " Queen Sugar, " which
recently earned a third season renewal and overall deal. There's also a new collaboration
and deal in the works with Will Packer, producer of the hot 2017 blockbuster " Girls Trip. "
A focus on scripted dramas refl ects a bold, new creative direction for the network that
elevates its storytelling. Meanwhile, lighthearted fare continues to draw in eyeballs with
Tyler Perry's " The Paynes, " set to premiere in early 2018 with a 38-episode fi rst season.
8. Steve White
President, West Division
Comcast Cable
Knowing today's customers want a great experience and expect good service, White leads
his 28,000 employees by example-taking ownership of customer issues and expecting
every employee to do the same. That's a big task, considering they serve 9 million
customers across 12 states. White implemented specialized customer service training for
all employees focused on achieving specifi c, measurable goals-most notably improving
customer service. In the last year his team reduced the number of customer calls and
disconnects, improved their " Voice of the Customer " survey results and saw positive video
customer growth. White says diversity in the industry will be achieved " when you walk into
any meeting, conference, event... the room represents the diversity of America. "
9. Henry Ahn
EVP, Content Distribution & Marketing
Scripps Networks Interactive
Food Network was one of the original publishers at the launch of Snapchat Discover
in 2015, and this spring Scripps expanded its relationship with the platform to include
even more Food content and HGTV. And that's just one example of Ahn keeping the lifestyle
brands on the razor's edge in the distribution and marketing realms. Scripps Nets
also this summer joined fuboTV, with the live streaming service adding Food, HGTV and
Travel content for premier subscribers. He says honesty is the best path when mentoring,
as he works to empower his mentees. " You can't solve problems if you don't have
the facts. That's always the starting point, " he says. " I want people to come to me with
proposed solutions rather than just airing their grievances. "
10. Sean Cohan
President, International & Digital Media
A+E Networks
Cohan oversees all of international and digital at A+E Nets-aka, the company's two
major growth businesses. He shepherds the company's brands, content and services
outside the US and manages staff around the world, covering the more than 200
territories A+E now serves. Closing international territories for A&E series " Six " and
" Knightfall, " notching additional distribution for Vice, and launching FYI in India are
among Cohan's recent accomplishments; increasing local productions among A+E
channels globally, and launching History and Lifetime in Korea are on his short list.
And Cohan is passionate about diversity. This past MIPCOM, Cohan was part of an
industry coalition that launched an international diversity summit. " The cable industry
has improved over the last several years on entry-level hiring and development of diverse slate of candidates, " he says.
" Where it could step up its efforts is around imaginative, out-of-the-box senior hiring from other industries. "
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