95 | Crash Tester
96 | Mr Persistence
Steve Friedman
Title: President, Network Distribution,
Ion Media Networks
Last Year: #89
Age: Older than the next president
Education: Daily dose of CableFAX
(bless you, Steve)
Bob Clasen
Title: President/CEO, Starz
97 | Ace & Arts
Ken Solomon
Title: Chairman/CEO,
The Tennis Channel; CEO, Ovation
Last Year: #81
Age: 45
Education: UCLA, BA; Paramount,
Disney, Fox Network, Dream Works,
Fine Living/Scripps, MA
Last Year: #62
Why Him? A perennial 100 member,
Friedman this year upped the ante on
marketing Ion’s trifecta of nets—flagship Why Him? Tennis Channel started the
Ion Television, kids channel qubo and Ion year with a DBS ace, and though cable
Life—and scored big. Comcast agreed carriage remains a struggle, Solomon,
to carry them early in ’08, and smaller irreverent and upbeat, snagged substan-deals have followed, including RCN’s ad- tial U.S. Open coverage beginning next
dition of qubo in NYC, Philly and D.C. year. Solomon also gets (sorry) a stand-
Year Ahead: ing Ovation for raising the arts network’s
Ion’s steady growth shows no signs of profile with a series of partnerships with
slowing as more operators embrace cultural institutions.
Friedman’s digital triple play.
Age: Old enough to remember
when Paul Maxwell was editor of
CableVision Magazine
Education: Bowling Green State U,
BA, MA
Why Him? Clasen’s strategy of shackling Starz to scripted dramas like Crash
while the network remains grounded
in commercial-free films is paying off.
Revenue was up 3% year-to-date.
Flagship service Starz counted 17.4mln
subs through Q3, up 8.1% vs last year, Favorite Foods: Scungilli, calamari
and Encore had 31.6mln Q3, up 4.3%. Favorite Restaurant: Umberto’s
Nielsen data placed Starz in the top 20 Drink of Choice: Pellegrino
for much of the year and Encore in the Favorite Music: Frank Sinatra, Al
top 30. The company provides almost Green, Jay Z and the Crests
40% of all HD on-demand usage through Unnecessary Luxury I Like Most:
Starz HD On Demand, Encore HD On Weekends
Demand and MoviePlex HD On Demand. Favorite Show Not on My Network:
Worth Watching: The unfolding of Hannity and Combs
the Starz Play-Netflix licensing deal has Last Book Read: The Bible
some crying foul since it seems to diss In ’09 I Resolve To: Launch qubo
traditional cable distribution. Clasen and Ion Life everywhere
maintains it’s just the latest cog in Starz’s Favorite Part of My Job: Meeting
swelling broadband wheel. with friends
Year Ahead: Worst Part of My Job: Traveling
Original programming looks promising, Cable’s Biggest Challenge: Navi-and Starz’s multiplatform embrace may gation—channel lineups are getting crazy
shine brightest of all. Best Business Advice Received:
Favorite Show Not on My Network: Do unto others
The Daily Show Philosophy: Keep goin’
In ’09 I Resolve To: Work with our I Wish My Kids Would: Support me
affiliates to launch more services to make Favorite Word: Yes
Starz programming accessible on all Least Favorite: No
platforms Hero: Pastor Bob Coy
CO AM
Proud Moment: See photo above
Year Ahead:
Tennis Channel will become more of a destination with its carriage of 60-plus live U.S.
Open hours, including exclusive prime-time
match play during the first weekend.
Favorite Tennis Spot: Center court,
Arthur Ashe Stadium, at The USTA Billie
Jean King National Tennis Center, during
our first US Open, August ’09
Do You Fantasize About Playing
at Wimbledon? Yes, especially after
an 18-hour production day during our
Wimbledon prime-time telecasts
Favorite Restaurant: Manhattan’s
“ 21” (I know people there…)
Favorite Music: Tom Petty & the
Heartbreakers
Last Book Read: An Unfinished Life:
John F. Kennedy by Robert Dallek
Philosophy: “How wonderful it is that
nobody need wait a single moment before
starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank
Trait I Most Admire: Compassion
CO
