Courteney Monroe, Geoff Daniels & Timothy Pastore
Courteney Monroe
Title: CEO, National Geographic Channels
Years in Cable: 17
Education: BA, Political Science, Williams College; MBA, Wharton Business School
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Aim to make history every day
Geoff Daniels
Title: EVP & GM of Nat Geo Wild
Years in Cable: 20
Education: BA, English, Tulane University
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Don’t Be an A-Hole! Or Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously!
Timothy Pastore
Title: President, Original Programming and Production, National Geographic Channels
Years in Cable: 11
Education: MA, English, University of Rochester; BA,
English and Film Studies, University of Rochester
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Always hire people smarter than you.
It may seem strange to call a 127-year old brand innovative, but Monroe, Daniels and Pastore have aggressively developed original series and event programing opportunities for National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild that both honor and refresh the iconic brand. From “Wicked Tuna” to “Brain Games” to Killing Jesus” to “Destination WILD,” National Geographic channels keep devising thought-provoking and entertaining programming for all ages. Capitalizing on the tremendous success of the past year—which included 18 Emmy nominations—the formidable team is focused on evolving NGC’s on-air brand identity and increasing awareness of Nat Geo WILD.
Monroe
Favorite screen: The big one in my family room.
Favorite vacation spot: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Desert island album: Zac Brown Band – Uncaged
Favorite TV show as a kid: “The Brady Bunch”
My favorite business/motivational book: The Corner Office by Adam Bryant
Daniels
I watch most programming on this device: My iPad.
The biggest cable innovation: Expansion of TVE and proliferation of OTT services.
Should the industry embrace or reject “virtual MSOs” and why? Embrace. No point running away from where the whole industry is going. If you have amazing content, which we do, we’ll get our cake and be able to eat it, too.
What’s the next big broadband project no one’s talking about yet and why?
Not my arena, but I suspect no one knows or they would all be talking about it, right? But, if I had to guess, something to do with the government, Snowden, “Serial” and “The X-Files”!
If I had a show on YouTube, it would be called… “Amazingly Cute Animals Eating Stuff!” Wait, that’s probably already a thing, right?
Apple iWatch or Rolex? Rolex! Old school cool. Authentic. Best in show. Totally durable and perpetually self-winding.
If I could interrupt Kanye West just once, I would tell him… Kanye WHO?
I wish Congress would just… inhale.
My favorite newfound hobby: Listening to the radio. Seriously, “This American Life” is genius and SO much better than the “AM-Jam Sports Talk” I usually tune in to during drive times.
If Disney hired me to reboot “Star Wars,” I would… turn it into a Bollywood-inspired musical with an amazing set of dance numbers.
If I ever found myself saying “Better Call Saul,” I’d seek his advice on… how to win friends and influence people, or maybe how to spend a couple million I swear I don’t have!
My “Real Housewives” catch-phrase is… &^%%$# *^&^$@!
Which character would I most want to double-cross me on “Game of Thrones” and why? Tyrion Lannister. He’s the smartest dude in that world, and if he f’s you, you had it coming and got f’d by the best.
Pastore
Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat? Instagram
Who’s on tap for the next big comeback? The Buffalo Bills
Desert island album: Bruce Springsteen – Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.
Favorite TV show as a kid: “Cheers”
Dish I can make and that would impress a celebrity chef: Chinese Barbecue Pork
My favorite business/motivational book: The Revolution Was Televised by Alan Sepinwall
