Starting Over

Name: Peter Stern
Title: Time Warner Cable EVP, product management
Age: 35
Years in Industry: 6
Years left in Industry: “What? I practically just started!”

Name: Bob Benya
Title: Time Warner Cable SVP, advanced video product management
Age: 48
Years in Industry: 26
Years left in Industry: “I’m never leaving”

Why Them? Stern and Benya are the guys behind the amazing success of Time Warner Cable’s Start Over, which allows viewers to instantly restart a show from the beginning, and Look Back, which allows viewers to grab shows they haven’t even started watching yet. It’s like a DVR but on the network (we can’t call it a network DVR for legal reasons, of course). Start Over is so cool it just won an Emmy. And other services like PhotoShow TV on Demand and Fantasy Sport Trackers are also gaining steam under Stern and Benya’s guidance. Bottom line: These 2 guys are spearheading some of the coolest tech in cable. Can you tell we’re excited?  MG

Peter Stern
The cable industry’s biggest challenge in 2008 is: “Persuading consumers that cable’s two-way services are superior to DBS.”
The coolest new cable tech is: “Start Over”
In my free time, I like to: “Play piano while my children dance to the music.”
Favorite city: “Stamford, CT (if only I saw it more often!).”
Three things I would take with me to a desert island: “Cable TV, high-speed online, and digital phone.”
Favorite song: “Chopin’s E-minor Piano Concerto.”
Favorite movie: Airplane 2
I wish cable would: “Hold more conferences ;-)”
Favorite piece of tech: “New set-top boxes”
Least favorite piece of tech: “Legacy set-top boxes”
My perfect vacation goes like this: “No cellular service”
The world would be a better place if: “Everyone would buy movies on demand rather than paying late fees to rental stores.”

Bob Benya
I knew the cable industry was for me when: “I was on the elevator after my interview for an Operations Clerk position at Manhattan Cable TV in 1981.”
The coolest new cable tech is: “Real-Time Acquisition, which enables Start Over and Look Back.”
People I admire most are: “TWC’s NYC door to door sales team. It takes a lot of courage to do this job!”
Favorite Sports Team: “Manhattan Cable TV’s Management Softball Team (pictured after we finally beat the union guys under the Queensborough Bridge field in 1982).”
Defining Career moments: “Being part of the FSN and Road Runner start up teams.”

 
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