Susanne Daniels

Daniels makes sure MTV programming is never predictable, adding a new twist to the long-running “Real World” franchise, which notched its highest-rated season in three years, and delving into scripted drama with “Finding Carter.” Her willingness to take risks is exactly why she’s heading up programming for a net devoted to young people. Fun fact: She guest starred in “The Office’s” series finale as the panel moderator. Her advice for cable when it comes to women is concise: “Hire women. Promote women. Pay women handsomely.”

How can cable better support women?  

Hire women. Promote women. Pay women handsomely.

Best trick for maintaining personal-professional balance?

There’s no such thing as balance because balance suggests equal time and when you work full time and raise children there’s never a time when all things are equal.  More time goes to the office when it’s a demanding time of year or there’s important deadlines or I have to travel and then other less hectic times I try putting work aside (leave a little early; take a day off) to take the time to focus on the kids—and remember to plan and take vacation time!

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

I have four kids who attend four different schools, two dogs, a broken dishwasher and a husband.  If you figure out where I should be, let me know!