Executive Round Up: What the Industry is Underthinking (or Overthinking)

CFX asked some of its 2026 Most Powerful Women what one thing the industry is underthinking or overthinking today. Here’s what they had to say.

Elissa Christie
SVP, Product Operations & Delivery
FOX Direct to Consumer

The industry underthinks the consumer’s first session. Viewers start abandoning a stream after about two seconds of startup delay, and subscribers who watch something in their first 72 hours retain at roughly twice the rate of those who don’t. Nobody writes “buffering” on a cancellation request. They write “too expensive” about a service they’d already stopped opening. The first quality impression with the content they care about is critical as the investment made to acquire.

Stephanie Mitchko
CTO, Global Head of Media Operations
AMC Global Media

We spend a lot of time talking about what AI can do and what impact it might have. What we may be underthinking is our role in shaping those outcomes. Leaders need to be clear about the goals they’re pursuing, where they’re placing investments and how they’re measuring success. At the same time, we need to help people adapt, build new skills and keep pace with change.

Sussy Ruiz
VP, Affiliate Weather Programming
The Weather Channel

Fragmentation doesn’t mean we’re losing audiences. It means audiences are consuming content in more places, and that creates opportunity. Too often, companies remain attached to how audiences used to behave instead of evolving with them. Our job is to meet viewers where they are and turn new platforms into new relationships.