Jackie Heitman

What’s been the biggest story in cable this year? 

There are quite a few big stories…  Comcast and TWC merger; the “Gigasphere” Internet speeds; the continued shift in TV viewing habits; Netflix surpassing HBO in domestic subscribers; and the most problematic story is the trend of programming and retrans disputes. These are more frequent, louder, more public and painful for all parties—the programmer, operator and most importantly the customer in terms of confusion, disruption and increased costs that are passed onto them.

How do you define a successful career? 

It’s results. Not from just one individual, but what you achieve with your team–with your organization. To quote Vince Lombardi—‘Individual commitment to a group effort— that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.’ When you make things work, you are collectively successful.

Best trick for maintaining the personal-professional life balance?

The definition of work-life balance changed throughout my career as my life and priorities changed. You have many facets or roles in your life–spouse, worker, colleague, friend, sister, daughter, supervisor…at different times these may conflict.  Sometimes you are more successful in some roles than you are in others. I found three things that have helped or hindered me in making good choices for work-life balance:  (1) the company’s culture; (2) your own attitude towards work-life balance, and (3) finding or knowing what brings you happiness in each of those roles and making those things happen.

When not in the office, where are we most likely to find you? 

I have two great loves (besides my husband, family and friends) and you will find this Jersey girl with those folks down the shore in Cape May with my toes in the sand or at the foot of Canal Street in New Orleans with champagne in my hand.