December 10, 2009

CableFAX: 20. Games(wo)manship: Lauren Zalaznick

Lauren Zalaznick
Title: Pres, NBCU Women & Lifestyle Ent Nets
Age: A day late and a dollar shorter
Education: BA, English Lit and Pre-Med, Brown
Social Media Quotient: 5

Why Her? Bravo may have lost Project Runway but Zalaznick has the net humming. It posted its best Q ever in all key demos during 3Q, marking its 16th consecutive Q of YOY growth. Bravo Digital set quarterly records through monthly averages of 4.81mln video streams and 3.69mln uniques. And Oxygen scored big with Dance Your Ass Off and joined Bravo in regularly notching profit growth for GE.

Worth Watching: Zalaznick’s push for advertisers to focus on women has proved successful, but will the thrust translate to success for Oxygen and Bravo during the Vancouver Olympics?

The Year Ahead:

Few do female-centric nets better than Zalaznick, but uncertainty with Comcast looms.

Favorite Restaurant: Monkey Bar, NYC

Drink of Choice: I.P.A.

Prediction for Cable in ’10: Will live long and prosper

When I Need to Recharge, I...: Think.

Favorite iPhone/Blackberry App: The Stanley level

Favorite TV Show Not on NBCU: NY Yankees vs. any team