Education: BA, Radio, Television & Film, California State University, Northridge
Abbott, McAvoy, Roberts and Vicary may have slightly different approaches to their jobs at Crown Media, but they share several important qualities that keep the crown shining bright: kindness, commitment, and a penchant for creative excellence. Abbott’s vast knowledge of the cable industry and keen instincts help him accurately forecast industry trends. Vicary’s innate ability to identify and tailor content for the Hallmark brand has fueled the growth of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. McAvoy’s creative and on-point ideas—spanning consumer, ad sales, and affiliate marketing—continually hit the sweet spot, helping generate viewership and revenue. And Roberts deftly manages to keep the organizational side of the operation afloat. Even without the networks’ successful Christmas programming events, they both grew in key demos in 2016; among total viewers, Hallmark Channel was up 14 percent and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries was up 25 percent.
Q&A
What inspires you most about this industry? Creating content that viewers are passionate about is the greatest inspiration.
The biggest innovation in cable over the last year? All I know is TV Everywhere is more everywhere in my home than ever!
Three years from now, what do you hope has been invented? Gaming consoles that look like attractive home décor sitting under my television.
What product or service could you not live without? Waze. I find it comforting to know it will take me exactly one hour and 47 minutes to get home from the airport even at 10 at night.
How long is your morning commute? One mile! I’m going to walk it one day.
