Cable's OnScreen
Standouts
Jon Hamm
Title: Actor, “Mad
Men” on AMC
Age: 36
Sally
Pressman
Title: Actor, “Army
Wives” on Lifetime
Age: 26
Why Them? The finale of “The Sopranos”
left room for fresh
blood to satisfy
America’s craving for
stars. As handsome
but troubled 1960
ad exec Don Draper,
Hamm clearly is the
epicenter of AMC hit
“Mad Men.” The series
has succeeded, in part
because Hamm’s as unknown as the unpredictable character he’s creating. Plus he’s able to project as many moods
as Draper has starched white shirts in his desk, for those
“late nights at work.” The petite Pressman was expected to
exist well below tall TV vets Catherine Bell and Kim Delaney,
upon whose sexy shoulders “Army Wives” was to rest. But
as single mom Roxy LeBlanc, Yale grad Pressman is stealing scenes (and male viewers’ hearts) with her southern
charm (good acting by the native New Yorker), spunk and
short shorts. Shove over, Tony. SA
Jon Hamm
Favorite Restaurant: “Giorgio Baldi in Pacific
Palisades.” Favorite City: “London” Favorite Line
from a movie: “The Dude Abides” - The Big Lebowski.
Favorite Sports Team: “St Louis Cardinals” Favorite
piece of tech: “iPhone—hands down.”
Sally Pressman
What is your favorite word? “Titillating” What is your
least favorite word? “Mucus” What turns you on?
“Humor and laughing.” What turns you off? “Deceit and
pretentiousness.” What sound do you love? “Ocean
waves, sleeping puppy breathing and crackling fire.”
What sound do you hate? “Car alarms and garbage
pickup.” What profession other than yours would
like to attempt? “Teaching” What profession would
you not like to participate in? “Pest control... yikes!”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God
say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “Girl, do
we have some fun stuff planned for YOU! Would you like
some ice cream?”
Joe Uva
(pictured, left)
Title: CEO and board
member, Univision
Communications
Latino Growth
Ray
Rodriguez
(pictured, right)
Title: President/
COO, Univision
Communications
Antoinette Zel
Title: Senior EVP, strategy, Telemundo
Michael Schwimmer
Title: CEO, Sí TV
Mike Roggero
Title: CFO, Sí TV
Why them? With the number of channels aimed
at 45 million-plus U.S. Latinos on the rise, Univision
Communications—with its cable net Galavision and diginet
package Tu TV—remains the field’s leading player. Now with
a new CEO in charge (former Turner Broadcasting exec Uva
succeeding limelight avoider Jerry Perenchio) and Rodriguez
remaining as president, look for Univision to move ahead with
more Spanish-language cable initiatives in 2008, including
operator video-on-demand, high-speed or HD content deals
in exchange for retransmission consent. Zel bid Telemundo
adios in mid-October, after turning Latino cable net mun2’s
focus from music to lifestyle and pop culture this year. The
Chicas Project hit home with viewers, and the channel’s
Latinos in the Military documentary earned the prestigious
Peabody Award. Separately, Schwimmer, CFO Mike Ruggiero
and Si TV’s executive team continue to expand and diversify
their English-speaking channel’s lineup, with such shows as
“Flow and Tell,” “Jammin’” and “Unacceptable Behavior.”
SSA (Simon Applebaum)
for full write-ups visit: www.cable360.net/cfax
Joe Uva Profession I would like to attempt: “College
football coach” Profession I would not want to participate in: “Dog catcher”
Ray Rodriguez The world would be a better place
if: “People pushed the positives and not the negatives.”
Favorite restaurant: “My boat.”
Michael Schwimmer Favorite song: Tom Jobim’s
“Girl From Ipanema” Favorite movie: Crash
Mike Roggero Favorite restaurant: “Nobu - Tribeca,
NY” Least favorite piece of tech: “DSL”
