Marvin Davis
Title: SVP, marketing, Comcast Cable
Sam Howe
Title: Chief Marketing Officer, Time Warner Cable
Joe Rooney (pictured, left)
Title: Chief Marketing Officer, Cox Communications
Why Them? Say hello to 3 of cable’s marketing superstars.
Davis continues to raise the bar on marketing creativity, particularly when it comes to the bundle and, his more recent
challenges, HDTV and the quad play. Howe and his marketing
team excel at integrating the TWC message across multiple
formats, including the recent guerilla “Sir Charge” campaign in
New York. Rooney, upped this year to CMO, is a razor-sharp
researcher who continually analyzes the competition and finds
new ways to deliver Cox’s message. CAO
Cable’s biggest challenge is: Sam Howe “Figuring out
how to transition (fast) from acquisition to retention lead.” Joe
Rooney “Differentiating the Bundle.”
35
A Hammer
and Howe!
The Jeff and Ted
Show
Jeff Shell (pictured)
Title: President, Comcast
Programming Group
Ted Harbert
Title: President/CEO, Comcast
Entertainment Group
Why Them? These 2 serial
headline-makers are the programming patriarchs of the
largest MSO. Top dog Shell,
Comcast’s primary liaison
between Hollywood and
Philadelphia, has taken the
MSO’s dream of leveraging its
distribution strength to help its
content assets and run with it.
While focusing on growing networks like Versus, The Golf
Channel and co-venture PBS Kids Sprout, plus launching boutique nonlinear channels like year-old The Horror
Channel, Shell placed E!, Style Network and G4 in Harbert’s
hands. Harbert—the consummate Hollywood guy—has
improved ratings for all 3 nets since he took the helm. He’s
also driving down the median viewer age with multiplatform
offshoots like the successful E! Everywhere initiative. CAO
for full write-ups visit: www.cable360.net/cfax
Jeff Shell I knew cable was for me when: “License
fees? You mean it’s not all advertising?”
Ted Harbert What profession other than yours
would like to attempt? “Comedy writer” What profession would you not like to participate in? “Anything
where you have to wear boots.”
Bonnie Hammer
Title: President, USA Network/Sci Fi Channel
David Howe (pictured, with talent)
Title: EVP/GM, Sci Fi Channel
Why Them? If only Bonnie Hammer would screw up so
we’d have something juicy to write about... A year after
“Psych” became cable’s top-rated original new series, USA’s
“Burn Notice” has taken the honor in ’07. Boring. Meanwhile,
USA seems to attract Emmy nominations as easily as it
attracts ratings ( 10 nominations for “The Starter Wife”?
Sweet). Can anything stop this USA machine? Not with
Hammer in charge. David Howe, meanwhile, has grown an
incredible brand at Sci Fi Channel, keeping it fresh with original movies and series. Howe does he do it? MG
Bonnie Hammer Profession you'd like to attempt:
“TV critic... it would be a chance for some comeuppance.”
David Howe What turns you on? “World travel” What
turns you off? “Chocolate”
