Michelle Strong

Strong oversees the affiliate field sales teams domestically as well as accounts in Canada and the Caribbean for the entire A+E portfolio. She also coordinates digital media and business development to negotiate VOD, TV Everywhere, mobile and other digital media products. This year she helped maximize revenue and distribution for the A+E Networks portfolio across platforms including OTT and Sling. Strong believes technologies that use audience data to assist in content creation and monetization will benefit cable during the next year. Aside from A+E programs including “Roots” and Lifetime’s “Unreal,” she praises ABC’s “Black-ish” and “Fresh Off the Boat” for their celebration of diversity.

The technology that will most benefit cable over the next year is:
Any technology that will utilize audience data to assist in content creation and monetization across platforms.

Which television show/s – cable or broadcast  – best embrace diversity?
I believe that A+E Networks has been at the forefront of embracing diversity this year with History’s “Roots” Reimagined, Lifetime’s “Unreal,” which featured an African-American suitor and the new A&E comedy series “Black and White,” which is a smart, funny, honest conversation about race in America.  I also like what ABC is doing with “Black-ish,” “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Scandal,” to name a few.

Favorite charity organization you work with?
I’ve worked with the Pencil program. This is an organization that partners business executives with public schools offering opportunities to groom and mentor the next generation of business leaders.