3. Anne Sweeney
By | November 1, 2013
Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney/ABC TV Group
The Walt Disney Company
Sweeney has long been one of the biggest influencers in all of media, and her staying power is impressive. And this savvy exec believes WatchABC and its sister TVE apps may be an industry turning point. “I believe it’s showing us the future of television,” Sweeney says, predicting it will strengthen the cable industry by letting viewers personalize their media experience. “With the launch of WatchABC in May, we reinforced the MVPD ecosystem again by becoming the first and only linear broadcasting service to provide authenticated viewers the ability to live-stream their favorite ABC shows and local market programming, as well as access a variety of on-demand content, at home and on the go.”
What’s your favorite part of your job?
What excites me most about my job today is that we’re able to create memorable moments for hundreds of millions of people around the world and that new technologies and innovations empower us to tell our stories and reach audiences in so many different ways.
What’s been the biggest story in cable this year?
The biggest story in cable this year is the success of our WATCH products, because I believe it’s showing us the future of television. Our popular WATCH Disney Channel apps—with 17 million downloads, nearly 12 billion minutes streamed, and one billion videos viewed – strengthen the cable industry by allowing authenticated viewers to personalize their media experience and watch their shows where they want, when they want, and how they want. And with the launch of WATCH ABC in May, we reinforced the MVPD ecosystem again by becoming the first and only linear broadcasting service to provide authenticated viewers the ability to live-stream their favorite ABC shows and local market programming, as well as access a variety of on-demand content, at home and on the go.
How do you define success in the workplace?
Success, to me, is when you have a team that understands and is committed to your content, your organization and your goals. When people share a passion and the creativity to find ways to give consumers the best experience possible, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish.