28 Greats Get the Nod

Cable World, June 9, 2003

Byline: K. C. NEEL

The Cable TV Pioneers is inducting a record 28 cable executives to its ranks this year during an awards ceremony to be held at the Union League Club in Chicago on Sunday, June 8. It will be the organization's 37th annual induction ceremony.

The Cable TV Pioneers was created by a group of cable executives in 1966 during the NCTA convention in Miami to recognize the contributions made to the industry by a select few. It continued as a social club for attendees of the annual cable convention. Over the years, the group's focus has expanded to preserving the history of the cable industry.

To qualify as a Cable Pioneer, inductees must have a history in the business that spans at least 20 years and be sponsored by another Cable TV Pioneer. There are 508 active members of the group today and another 108 who are deceased.

Following is a list of this year's Cable TV Pioneer inductees.

MOTHER ANGELICA

Eternal Word Television Network Irondale, Ala.

Few people believed Mother Angelica could pull off her dream of creating a cable network that Catholics could watch and learn from. But that didn't stop the determined nun, even though she knew next to nothing about the television business. With only $200 at her disposal, Mother Angelica built a TV studio in the garage of her monastery in Irondale, Ala., which led to the creation in 1981 of Eternal Word Television Network - the first cable channel dedicated solely to religious programming. Over the past 21 years EWTN has grown to 50 million television homes in the United States and another 30 million worldwide. EWTN has always been offered to the cable industry free of charge and has done so without any advertising revenue. One of the network's most popular programs, Mother Angelica Live, was the first national live religious call-in program format on cable television. ETWN has delivered live coverage of several religious events including several of Pope John Paul II's visits to the United States as well as International World Youth Days. Mother Angelica, now 80 and recovering from a stroke she suffered two years ago, also established the world's largest privately owned and operated short-wave radio station, a satellite-delivered AM and FM radio network, a printing operation that sends out thousands of publications each month and a website featuring live audio and video streaming of EWTN's programming.

GARY ARLEN

Arlen Communications Bethesda, Md.

Gary Arlen began his career in 1971 with Paul Kagan Associates as an editor based in Washington, D.C., covering the cable television business. He left in 1974 to work for the NCTA as public affairs manager. He joined Philips Publishing in 1977 to serve as the editor of newsletters about the cable TV industry and other video services. In 1980 he went out on his own, starting Arlen Communications, a publishing and research firm focusing on the new uses of media. Arlen still writes extensively about cable and telecom competition and technology. He currently serves as president of Arlen Communications.

GREG ARMSTRONG

Liberty Media Jupiter Telecom Ltd. Toyko

Greg Armstrong got into the cable business in 1971 as GM of Viacom Cablevision in San Francisco. In 1979 he joined Mid-West Communications in Tulsa, Okla., as VP/GM, a position he held until 1982 when he became COO for Satellink Corp. in Denver. He was president of Cable Management Group from 1988 to 1994. Tele-Communications Inc. hired him as SVP in 1994, and he oversaw the MSO's overseas operations through 1997. From 1998 through 2000 he was based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he served as managing director for Liberty Media International. He currently serves as EVP/COO for Liberty Media Jupiter Telecom Ltd., one of Liberty's most successful assets.

LELA COCOROS

October Strategies Highlands Ranch, Colo.

Lela Cocoros's start in the cable industry began in 1982 when she was hired by the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau as a conference coordinator and executive assistant. She was soon promoted to media services coordinator. Cocoros left CAB and New York in 1985 to join Tele-Communications as marketing coordinator/manager of CableTime, the MSO's in-house program guide. She left TCI for a few months in 1997 to manage corporate communications for NBC but returned to serve as SVP, corporate communications. She eventually served as EVP, corporate communications, leaving the MSO when AT&T bought TCI in 1998. Cocoros is currently a partner and co-founder of October Strategies.

W. JAY DUGAN

Dugan Financial Odessa, Fla.

Jay Dugan began his cable career in 1980 as an investment banking associate with Daniels & Associates, which is based in Denver. He left a year later to join Tampa, Fla.-based Communications Equity Associates as an SVP. Dugan stayed with CEA for 21 years, brokering dozens of cable deals throughout the United States and the Caribbean before leaving last year to form his own investment banking company, Dugan Financial. Dugan is currently a member of Cable PAC as well as various state cable television associations. He serves as president of Dugan Financial.