December 10, 2009

CableFAX: 49. Fraternal-Lee: Paul Lee

Paul Lee

Title: President, ABC Family Last Year:
Age: 48
Education: Undergrad, Oxford
Social Media Quotient: 7

Why Him? Don’t try to figure out Paul Lee, just accept that he knows what he’s doing. The intellectual Brit likes nothing more than to take his teen sons to action films, yet when it comes to programming for teens, Lee’s ABC Family is anything but edgy and splashy (ok, Lincoln Heights features the occasional gun play, but it ain’t The Matrix). While others went the reality route, Lee has stuck with upbeat scripted series that have become smash hits. Witness The Secret Life of The American Teenager, which was TV’s top scripted series for all 12-34s and women 12-34.

Greek in Greece: Who’d a thunk it? ABC Family series Greek (about college frats and sororities) and The Secret Life of The American Teenager are seen in more than 200 countries

The Year Ahead:

With Secret Life, Greek, Lincoln Heights and new hit Make It or Break It returning, Lee’s star will continue to shine.