MW-50: Mediaweek Names the Most Influential Executives Shaping the Future of Media

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NEW YORK --(Business Wire)-- Mediaweek today announced honorees in the first annual MW-50, a list recognizing new media innovators, across all media disciplines, who drive revenue, establish standards, create new models and generate buzz. The complete list is available in the September 17 issue of Mediaweek and online at www.mediaweek.com/spotlight.

"The media business is undergoing such a profound transformation, we believe it is important to celebrate the most indispensable executives who make their industries hum with innovation, creativity and success," says Michael Burgi, editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Mediaweek.

Taking the top spot, Rino Scanzoni, chief investment officer of GroupM, has moved the marketplace, striking the first TV upfront deal with NBC Universal that caused the industry to reexamine its use of program ratings, and move towards using commercial ratings as standard currency. Go to www.mediaweek.com/spotlight for an exclusive video interview with Scanzoni.

Rounding out the top five are Tim Armstrong, President, Advertising and Commerce, North America and VP, Google; Mike Shaw, President, Sales and Marketing, ABC; Mike Darnell, President, Alternative Programming, Fox; and Jeff Gaspin, President/CEO, NBCU TV Group. Vogue editrix Anna Wintour landed at No. 7.

Representative of the industry's continued evolution to drive digital platforms, tied at No. 18, Comcast's Charlie Thurston and Time Warner Cable's Joan Gillman are changing the cable operator landscape by leading the charge toward individual targeted ads directly to digital set-top boxes. Time Inc.'s John Squires (No. 24) has kept busy evolving the publishing giant's print brands, adding social networking and mobile content.

The list was based on extensive research and interviews with industry experts. Mediaweek editors tracked momentum by evaluating a variety of criteria:

-- Executives' oversight of properties and/or departments;

-- The traction execs boasted in areas such as advertising revenue, program ratings, audience growth and media accounts;

-- The worth of media buyers' accounts and big deals, in terms of mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and sponsorships;

-- Digital stats, which include the creation of new or advanced digital products, and the integration of traditional and new media;

-- The overall impact execs had on their industry, in terms of setting new industry standards or best practices.

The 2007 Mediaweek 50:

1. Rino Scanzoni, chief investment officer of GroupM: Responsible for overseeing $12.5 billion in broadcast and cable television media budgets for three GroupM media agencies--Mediaedge:cia, MindShare and MediaCom--Scanzoni paved the way for making commercial ratings plus three-day DVR viewing the industry's new negotiation benchmark.

2. Tim Armstrong, President, Advertising and Commerce, North America and VP, Google: Overseeing one of the fastest growing revenue generators in the media business, Armstrong has helped sell pay-per-click ads, which still serve as the search giant's core revenue driver.

3. Mike Shaw, President, Sales and Marketing, ABC: This year Shaw aligned himself with media agencies to negotiate the 2007 upfront based on commercial ratings, in exchange for DVR viewing credit. The end result? ABC took in $2.4 billion in the prime-time upfront, at cost-per-thousand increases averaging 9 percent, the highest among the Big Four broadcast networks.

4. Mike Darnell, President, Alternative Programming, Fox: He's crafty, competitive, and can turn around a reality concept in less time than most execs take lunch. Darnell oversees TV's biggest hits, including American Idol, Hell's Kitchen, So You Think You Can Dance, and Don't Forget the Lyrics!

5. Jeff Gaspin, President/CEO, NBCU TV Group: Gaspin is one of the busiest men in the cable TV universe with oversight of one of the most expansive and lucrative cable portfolios, steering the linear nets (USA Network, Bravo and Sci Fi Channel) as well as the start-ups (Sleuth, Chiller and Universal HD). In July, he took on the guardianship of all non-NBC broadcast properties, including Spanish-language net Telemundo.

6. Scott Koondel, Executive VP, CBS TV Distribution: Koondel is that rare exec who not only survived all the industry mashups, but also thrived. Responsible for the sales and marketing of all CBS Paramount Network Television inventory, past and present, as well as CBS News and Showtime, across broadcast, cable, pay TV, video on demand and all digital platforms, Koondel is in charge of more than 75,000 hours of programming.

7. Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief, Vogue: Wintour's 1.3 million circ. Vogue has enjoyed an upswing of single-copy sales--rising 4.6 percent in the year's first half--even as the rest of the industry suffers in a weak newsstand market. As editorial director, she shepherds powerhouse spin-offs Teen Vogue, Vogue Living and Men's Vogue, as well as the Fashion Rocks issue complementing Conde Nast Media Group's annual music extravaganza. Wintour also has a hand in Style.com, online home of Vogue and W.

8. Jon Nesvig, Sales President, Fox Broadcasting: Reigning over the Fox network's advertising sales for 18 years, Nesvig oversees both entertainment and sports ad sales for the News Corp.-owned network, which raked in a record $1.85 billion in this year's upfront. Additionally, Nesvig this year relaunched Fox One, the company's cross-platform sales unit.

9. David Levy, President, Turner Ad Sales, Turner Sports: As the ad sales chief responsible for Turner's portfolio of entertainment networks, including TNT, TBS, Court TV (soon to be rebranded as truTV), Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, and as the mastermind behind Turner Sports, Levy commands about one out of every four dollars in the cable's total upfront take.

10. John Skipper, Executive VP, Content, ESPN: Not only is he involved in negotiating the rights to live professional sports on TV, but Skipper also ensures that coverage is available across all ESPN's varied media platforms for rabid sports fans everywhere.

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