Building solid relationships with affiliate partners is the cornerstone of Barney’s success. Her creative approach helped increase distribution of linear networks despite a challenging landscape, where she secured deals for discovery+ with key affiliates in the US and Canada. That trust helped expand distribution of DIY Network and laid the foundation for its January 2022 rebrand as Magnolia Network. She also landed distribution agreements for this year’s launch of Discovery’s newest Spanish-language network, Hogar de HGTV. She read Valerie Jarrett’s “Finding My Voice: My Journey To the West Wing and the Path Forward” after meeting Jarrett at an event. “What was empowering was that it took time for Valerie to find her voice and ultimately her success,” she says.
Do you have an example of male allyship that made a difference to you?
Honestly, I owe my success to innumerable male allies over the past 30 years. Women simply had not been in the leadership positions needed to make it happen. While there were many allies over the years, the one that I will call out is the former, but then-current CEO of AT&T, John Donovan, who was instrumental in promoting me to the officer level at AT&T. John was a big believer in seeking out and promoting talented individuals. He has remarked that, low and behold, it often leads to promotions for women and people of color! That officer role paved the way for my current position heading up affiliate distribution for Discovery.
What one female empowerment book do you think every woman should read?
I think just about any biography or autobiography of a successful woman is inspiring and empowering. Most recently I read Valerie Jarrett’s book, “Finding My Voice: My Journey To the West Wing and the Path Forward,” after meeting her at an event. What was empowering was that it took time for Valerie to find her voice and ultimately her success. When people see accomplished women, the assumption is that the woman was just born with certain gifts and is a “natural.” Valerie rose to become a top adviser to the President of the US (Barack Obama) but she developed her talents and found her voice over time. I hope women understand that they can work to improve in areas where they believe they be lacking, such as public speaking.
