Tamara Franklin

EVP, Digital, Scripps Networks Interactive

Simply put, digital is booming at Scripps—thanks in large part to Franklin. Elevated to her role in January 2014, she oversees the company’s digital business units to coordinate overall strategy and activity, focusing on an integrated companywide approach to digital video production and distribution. All Scripps ships are rising, from Food Network to HGTV to Travel. Franklin thinks all sectors of the cable industry can do better on gender equality. “The senior most leadership levels across nearly all of our organizations are still largely comprised of white men,”  she says. “I fear that this situation will become worse in the near term, particularly in light of recent consolidation activity where, historically, women and people of color are most vulnerable to job loss given their lack of sponsorship.”

Which sector of the cable industry best demonstrates gender equality? Which could use some enlightenment?

There are no sectors within the cable industry that are devoid of the need for enlightenment. The senior most leadership levels, across nearly all of our organizations, are still largely comprised of white men. I fear that this situation will become worse in the near term, particularly in light of recent consolidation activity where, historically, women and people of color are most vulnerable to job loss given their lack of sponsorship.

What advice would you give your 13-year-old self?

Dream bigger, work smarter (not harder) and laugh more often.

Which current programming best reflects the kind of women’s roles you like to see and why?

The recent Olympic coverage where women represented 52% of the American athletes sent to Rio, won 50% of the medals (4 percent went to mixed gender events) and received 60 percent of NBC’s prime-time coverage. NBC’s coverage highlighted both the diversity of the events in which they participated, as well as the diversity of the athletes themselves (religious, ethnic, sexual preference, etc.).