Nancy Kanter & Sean Cocchia
Sean Cocchia
Title: SVP & GM, Disney Channels Worldwide
Years in Cable: 15
Education: BA, Finance, University of Notre Dame
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: “Sometimes the best strategy is to put your head down and stick to your knitting.” – Anne Sweeney
Nancy Kanter
Title: EVP, Original Programming & GM, Disney Junior Worldwide
Years in Cable: 18 years in children’s television
Education: BA, Film and Theatre (Magna Cum Laude), Hunter College
Best Advice in 7 Words or Less: Be curious, be kind.
With network originals like “Sofia the First,” “Doc McStuffins,” “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” Kanter has led the success of 24-hour network Disney Junior across all Disney businesses. And on linear, it ranks as the #1 preschool-dedicated TV network in Total Day for the second consecutive year. At Disney Channel, Cocchia’s accomplishments include locking in the network as tops among kids 6-11 and tweens once again, garnering ratings wins with original movies and transitioning Radio Disney to a digitally focused multiplatform music brand.
Cocchia
The biggest innovation in cable over the last year: Launch of the Sling TV product
Should the industry embrace or reject “virtual MSOs” and why? Embrace. Like previous business disruptions (DBS, Telcos, SVOD), virtual MSOs will help to drive competition and investment in innovation and creativity throughout the ecosystem.
Apple iWatch or Rolex? Apple iWatch
Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat? Instagram
My favorite newfound hobby: Obsessive focus on my fitbit steps
Which character would I most want to double-cross me on “Game of Thrones” and why? Petyr ‘Littlefinger’ Baelish: he would do it with a smile – “A man with no motive is a man no one suspects. Always keep your foes confused.”
Desert island album: Ben Folds, Rockin’ the Suburbs
Favorite TV show as a kid? The Epic Japanese anime series “Robotech”
The last time I had a good laugh was… “Fresh off the Boat” – “Persistent Romeo,” a story of giving “the talk.”
My favorite business/motivational book: Turn the Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders – L. David Marquet
Kanter
I watch most programming on this device: TV in my bedroom—DVR programs only. I don’t watch anything “live.”
If I had a show on YouTube it would be called… “Let Me Tell You”… It would be my opinion on everything—restaurants, travel spots, killer moisturizers and hair products.
Apple iWatch or Rolex? Can I get the Tag Heuer –Google smart watch instead? Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat? Instagram, but only for travel photos.
If my office produced a viral video, the background music would be… Frank Sinatra, the Capitol Records recordings
Favorite vacation spot: Corsica
Dish I can make and that would impress a celebrity chef: Salmon coulibiac
