The Exit Interview

So why did you feel now was the time to move on from CableFAX?

Oprah left her show after 25 years. I’ve been with this company for 25 years, including 13 with CableFAX. If it’s good enough for Oprah, it’ll work for me. I’m now waiting for David Zaslav to offer me my own network. Unlike most, I think a down economy is a good time to leave your job and seek other opportunities.

What will you miss most about CableFAX? And what will you miss least?

That’s easy. I will miss most the people I worked with and those in the industry we wrote about. Mike, Chad and Amy are terrific journalists and nicer people. I learned a great deal about cable, but also charity and class, from Paul Maxwell and Steve Effros.

The cable industry is loaded with interesting, creative and charitable people, many of whom have become friends. From operators large and small, to programmers to vendors and associations, they helped me, stuffed my office full of swag and enhanced my love of journalism. You know, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of finding a story, writing it and seeing it printed; however, waking up in the morning and finding Cameron Diaz next to you compares favorably.  

What things will I miss least? First is my long commute. Without it, I’ll have more time to explore life (a scary thought). And I won’t miss a journalist’s salary. On the other hand, the modest pay scale of this profession kept me from having enough money to invest with Bernie Madoff, so I really can’t complain.

Another thing I won’t miss is the lack of free-flowing hard liquor at the CFAX offices. Going out for drinks during the work day took a lot of time away from my reporting and writing. My next employer must offer a fully stocked bar or I won’t work there.

Those 12-hr days also are something I won’t miss. On the plus side, they helped me avoid doing serious jail time.

You’re joining Time Warner Cable’s D.C., office. What kind of things will you be doing there?

My first job will be to grab as many free Time Warner Cable pens and coffee mugs as I can. After that, we’ll see.

 

My title will be Senior Writer, so I’m guessing I’ll be describing Time Warner Cable’s initiatives for those 55 and older. That or my permanent assignment will be to write about Retirement Living TV.

How do you think your many years of reporting experience will influence how you approach the new job?

I am confident the skills I learned as a journalist—observing and questioning everything, analyzing and clearly writing and communicating—will help. Some of the other journalistic traits—being able to easily fake integrity and using many words to say almost nothing—likely will not be part of my new job.

 

 

There are so many memories. I recall when I began writing about cable, Comcast was relatively small and the concept of having your cable operator also providing your Internet service was mostly a dream.

 

Obviously the digital age changed the job of a journalist, mostly for the better, provided you can still earn a living in journalism, which is not so easy. Still, I recall doing research before the digital age, and it was a struggle, unless your company had a library.

 

Besides the many values I’ve absorbed from people I’ve met through cable, I think the many dramas, historical shows and especially the documentaries I’ve reviewed as part of my work on Programmer’s Page will shape my perspective most. You can’t help but become more informed about the past, present and future after watching these shows. In that respect, cable has never offered more. For that, I am grateful. It’s been a pleasure.