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Kim Martin
Title: President/GM, WE tv
Years in Cable: More than 20
Education: BS, Georgia College and State U;
MBA, Georgia State U
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Free advice is always worth the price.
Why Her? Though everyone loves a good wedding, Martin wisely realized it was time to expand WE tv’s programming mix beyond brides and bouquets. Her latest focus? Family life—of all stripes. Sister-fest “Braxton Family Values,’ which goes behind the scenes with singer/actress Toni Braxton and her three siblings, is the network’s biggest hit to date. It’s also been a gateway to the expansion of WE’s multimedia strategy. During the show, the Braxton girls tweet, and a live stream of their tweets runs at the bottom of the screen. Now why didn’t the Kardashians think of that?
Top Chef: Martin and her family love to travel internationally, and on each trip they take a cooking class in a chef’s home. “Being in a local chef’s home really gives you a better sense of the people, the lifestyle and the culture, and you’ve enjoyed a fabulous meal,” she says.
Year Ahead: With viewers and advertisers, it’s all in the family for the refined WE tv.
The biggest innovation in cable over the last year: Dual screen live viewing experiences
Favorite “going out” town: Is outside my office window—the city that never sleeps.
The one thing I tell my kids about success in life: It’s not all about the money… but don’t ignore it either.
My favorite business and/or motivational book: “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office”
When I look at my cable set-top box, I can’t help but think: If a woman had designed this box, everyone wouldn’t hide them in armoires.
If I invented my own app, it would be: “SHOE-ZAM”—point my smartphone at any great pair of shoes, and they are shipped to me from the store with the best deal! ?