CableFAX: 73. Wild Man: Steve Schiffman

Steve Schiffman

Title: EVP/GM, National Geographic Channel
Age: 6.5 (in Dog Whisperer Years)
Education: BA, U Mass; MBA, Kellogg School of Mgmt
Social Media Quotient: 5

Why Him? Every year during his seven-year tenure (two at the helm), ratings have grown. ’09 was a year of records, including monthly and quarterly highs. We know the co-chair of CTAM Summit ’09 was smiling after Nat Geo bested a CTAM Mark Awards record established in ’98 by Discovery Channel for a single, basic cable net, with 16 wins. Schiffman’s success led to his being tapped to manage Nat Geo Wild when it launches domestically in March.

Use Me: Rupert Murdoch says NGC — which reportedly would have been part of a JV with Cox had News Corp beat Scripps for Travel Channel — is under-exploited. Look for NGC to ratchet things up, particularly on the digital front.

The Year Ahead:

Launching a net, even with an established sub base and international presence, is tough.

Prediction for Cable in 2010: Nat Geo WILD will be wildly successful.

A Day Without Facebook is…: Impossible to imagine, whether you like it or not.

Trait I Most Admire: Rational decision making.

3 Things I’d Take to a Deserted Island: My family, a computer with broadband and cases of good wine

Favorite Part of My Job: Working in a results- oriented environment that’s committed to aggressive growth.

Best Business Advice Received: Speak less, listen more.