The RabbleRouser

Name: Mark Cuban
Title: President HDNet 
Age: 49 
Years in Industry: 12 
Years left in Industry: 125 

Why Him? HDNet may be just another network trying to gain carriage, but Cuban has a way of attracting attention that few can match. Perhaps it’s his general knack for publicity that somehow found him dancing in a hobo costume in front of a national audience this year in ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” We have to give Cuban props—and not just for the PR savvy. No, this guy also has ideas. Who else would tell cable CEOs that they have to start building Intranets because “the Internet is dead”? Another plus? He returns our emails. Keep on dancing, Mark.  MG

Cable’s biggest challenge in 2008 is: “Optimizing Revenue per bit to get maximum performance from bandwidth.”
The coolest new cable tech is: “DOCSIS 3.0 and Networked DVRs and full 19mbs bitrate HD.” 
Person (other than my current boss) who I’d most like to work for: “Chase Carey, Brian Roberts or Jeff Bewkes” 
In my free time, I like to: “Dance the Samba”
Favorite restaurant: “Bobs Steak and Chophouse in Dallas”
Three things I would take with me to a desert island: “Diapers for my kids.” 
Favorite song: “Heaven in NY” – Wyclef Jean
Favorite TV show: “Dancing with the Stars”
Favorite movie: One Last Thing 
Favorite sports team: “Dallas Mavericks” 
I wish cable would: “Make a consumer issue out of networks that don’t broadcast in High Def but call themselves HD Networks.”
Favorite piece of tech: “USB Hard Drives”
Least favorite piece of tech: “The packaging around any consumer technology.”
The three most played songs on my iPod are: “Heaven in NY,” “The Way I Live,” “Rockstar”
My perfect vacation goes like this: “A week with my family in the Caymans.” 

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