WICT PAR at Work Spring2008

www.wict.org
Th
Presented by
at WorkPARThe PAR Initiative Newsletter
Best Practices and Tips for the Workplace and Your Career
Recruiting and retaining women in the cable industry
is becoming more difficult. Results from WICT’s 2007 PAR
Initiative reveal that in 2007, 35.8 percent of all industry
employees were women, down from 38.7 percent in 2003.
Despite these declines, the news isn’t all bleak. The program-
mers and operators on WICT’s “Best Companies” lists are
fostering cultures of flexibility, openness to new ideas (with
the guidance of WICT’s initiatives and programs), and profes-
sional development that provide women with opportunities
for career growth while building the bottom lines and brands
of their companies. These efforts can help spur recruitment
by creating an environment attractive to women considering
the cable industry and retention by reducing the need for
women to look elsewhere for advancement.
Providing women with growth opportunities is essential.
“Most people still leave because they feel there’s no career
path defined for them, or that their manger doesn’t like them
or doesn’t encourage them to look at opportunities,” said
Julie Cookson, senior vice president of human resources for
Scripps Networks.
Sometimes that opportunity is being open to new ideas.
“I wanted to create an opportunity for me to excel,” said
Shari Pace, vice president of licensing and merchandising
for The Weather Channel. “Our organization is top heavy.
My boss used to joke, ‘Unless I get knocked off, I don’t know
where you are going.’” Pace spearheaded the launch of her
company’s new licensing department. “I was looking for op-
portunity; for something that I could own, something that
would make an impact, and something that would be benefi-
cial to the company in the long run.”
Making a difference is a powerful motivator, and one that
Traci Gerth, director of Charter Business, Central States, for
Charter Communications, understands. “Charter offers a lot
of autonomy and really leverages the strengths of its employ-
ees. It’s a place where each individual can make a difference,”
she said. Gerth contributed to the development of Charter’s
commercial services business. “I really enjoy, and am good
at, the whole start-up type of business. I’ve had the luxury of
a start-up opportunity inside a big company. It has continued
to challenge me for 10 years.”
“Women are attracted to environments where they are
given the opportunity to grow,” Gerth continued. “The best
way to recruit more women is to show that women have been
successful in the industry and to really support the diversity
of all kinds.”
In this issue, we talk to five women who work for some
of cable’s “best” companies: Charter Communications,
Discovery Communications, Scripps Networks, The Weather
Channel and Turner Broadcasting. They shared their stories
of how they created new business opportunities, improved
employee development, and grew professionally with the help
of their companies.
Creating a Culture that Supports Recruiting and Retention
Issue No. 1 • Volume No. 2 • Spring 2008
At Work This Month…
Business Building Spurs Retention (page 2)
Leadership Development Provides Path for Growth (page 4)
Tips for a Long, Rewarding Career in Cable (page 7)
To read past issues of PAR at Work, visit www.wict.org

2 PAR at Work — Spring 2008
SPRING: FEATURE Article
Providing women with opportunities to significantly impact their com-
pany’s culture and bottom line can be powerful retention incentives. The
programmers and operators on WICT’s “Best Companies” lists have dis-
covered this fact, and fostered an environment where women can develop
new business initiatives and spearhead employee development programs.
Admittedly, the women we interviewed showed great personal tenacity, a
willingness to venture forth when others doubted, and a commitment to
building their company’s bottom line and brand.
Business Building Spurs Retention
Expanding the Brand Through Licensing
Shari Pace, vice president of licensing and merchandis-
ing for The Weather Channel, knows first hand the hard
work involved in getting a new business initiative off the
ground. Pace, who has been with the company 8 years, runs
the programmer’s new licensing division, where, among other
things, she identifies potential licensing partners, performs
due diligence, assesses impact on The Weather Channel
brand, negotiates deals, and analyzes revenue potential.
In three years, Pace has overseen 12 licensing deals,
which have generated nearly 8 million dollars of revenue for
the programmer. While the deals initially featured products
that consumers would naturally associate with The Weather
Channel, such as weather instruments, weather alert radios,
and umbrellas, Pace has broadened her licensing outreach.
Last fall, The Weather Channel launched a line of music with
Midas Records. Called “The Weather Channel Presents,” the
new label features the smooth jazz and light rock that plays in
the background, when viewers tune into their local weather
forecast.
Three years ago, Pace broached the licensing idea with
her boss as a way to reach a new audience. “I asked, ‘What
if we could come up with a way to generate revenue, create
more eyeballs, and build brand affinity?’” she recalled. “He
said, ‘If you think you can do it, do it. And, by the way, you
have to do your regular job.’” Pace spent a year researching
best practices; talking with other companies that licensed
products, such as Walt Disney; building the business strategy;
and performing her current duties as director of ad sales and
marketing.
Overcoming Resistance
Not everyone at The Weather Channel shared Pace’s
vision. While her boss and his supervisor were encouraging,
others were at best impassive. “When I first started saying I’d
put a proposal together, people were like, ‘yeah, whatever…
Don’t you have enough to do?’” Pace remembered. She spoke
with peers at other companies, and they recounted similar
stories. “No one wanted to take time to look at something
new, that was untried and untested.”
Pace persevered, quietly putting together her first deal,
which generated $684,000, in her words “peanuts” for The
Weather Channel. “I closed that first deal with just two peo-
ple knowing,” she said. “But that deal got us major exposure
at places we’d never been before.” Pace now had revenue data,
consumer reaction, images at retail, and other information
that she could present, and so she pitched the idea of creating
a licensing department staffed with dedicated employees.
Again, she faced lukewarm reception, as the company was
not yet willing to spend resources on the initiative.
Undaunted, Pace proposed to continue her efforts with
no dedicated resources for another year, provided that the
company fund the division if it reached more than a million
dollars. “I laid out the headcount and everything I’d need,
and said, if I can do it, you have to give me everything I
need,” she recounted. “They said, ‘Fine,’ but I don’t think
they really thought it would happen.” In her second year,
Pace signed another six deals, generating guaranteed revenues
of $1.5 million. “Boy did they start looking then.” Pace’s
licensing department now includes five full-time employees,
plus other corporate resources.
Shari Pace
Vice President of Licensing
and Merchandising, The
Weather Channel

PAR at Work — Spring 2008 3
Encouraging Employee Development
Not all business-building efforts fall directly to the bot-
tom line. Sandra Colaccino, director of business affairs and
programming, legal, for Discovery Communications spear-
headed a mentoring initiative at Discovery’s headquarters.
Dubbed MentorNet, the program became so successful that
after two years, the company’s human resources department
decided to formally adopt the initiative as one of its learning
and development programs. It has now launched Mentor-
Net globally.
The idea for MentorNet germinated about five years
ago, recalled Colaccino. She and some colleagues were
attending a company-sponsored conference on improving
employee life, and they suggested a mentoring program.
“A couple of the executives said, ‘Why don’t you run with
that,’” she recalled, and that’s just what they did.
Colaccino and two others formed a committee, which
eventually grew to five. Over the next three years, they
worked steadily to develop and launch MentorNet, while
still performing their regular jobs. They put in up to 15
hours a week developing MentorNet.
“It sounds like it took a long time, but it’s an onerous
process,” Colaccino said. “You are dealing with people. It’s
not just putting the program together. It’s advertising the
program and determining how you properly match people.”
It was also outside the comfort zones of those involved, as
none of them had a background in human resources. They
worked closely with Discovery’s human resources depart-
ment to make sure they developed appropriate policies
centered around bringing people together.
Response to the program was overwhelming. In late
2006, 250 people applied for the program, which eventually
matched 40 mentors with 40 protégés. “We had identi-
fied something that people really wanted to see. We were
Bringing a Fresh Perspective
The fruition of new ideas is not uncommon in large,
established companies. Sometimes having a perspective from
outside the industry can help you overcome such challenges.
Traci Gerth, director of Charter Business, Central States,
for Charter Communications found this to be true. Gerth is
responsible for sales, marketing, finance, billing, collections,
service delivery, and capital management of the operator’s
commercial and multiple unit dwelling services in Illinois
and Missouri.
Gerth has been with Charter for just under 10 years.
Marcus Cable, which Charter later acquired, had won a
contract to connect multiple schools in Wisconsin. Once the
project was completed, it wondered what other commercial
opportunities might exist. It hired Gerth as part of a nine-
member team to build the company’s commercial business.
Gerth, who’s primary responsibility was for sales, spent
12–18 months helping to set up the new business, contribut-
ing to marketing and product development in addition to
her sales duties.
Like Pace, Gerth encountered resistance to the idea.
“There were definitely those who saw the vision, but there
were others who wanted to stick to residential customers.
They felt that residential was the base of the business, and
there was no need to venture into the place called commer-
cial,” Gerth remembered.
It took a lot of “tenacity and resilience” to overcome that
resistance. “I sold internally as much as I sold externally,…
working with individuals and educating them on what the
commercial space was all about.” Gerth believes that her
experience outside the cable industry helped her. “It allowed
me to have a fresh perspective on the potential of entering
the commercial market versus someone who had been in the
industry a long time and wanted to stay safe in residential.”
That tenacity has paid off for Gerth, as Charter has
promoted her several times—from an account executive to
director of sales and marketing for Charter Business; to direc-
tor of Charter Business for the Fort Worth, Texas, market;
and to her current role as director of Charter Business in
Charter’s largest market area. In 2007, Charter’s commercial
services produced $339 million in revenue. The central state’s
division had a growth rate in 2007 that outpaced the the
total company growth rate of 14% year-over-year.
Traci Gerth
Director of Charter Business,
Central States, Charter
Communications
Sandra Colaccino
Director of Business Affairs
and Programming, Legal,
Discovery Communications
…continued on page 6

4 PAR at Work — Spring 2008
Leadership Development Provides
Path for Growth
Offering women a robust array of development programs
also can positively impact retention. Women can leverage
that training to move their careers forward without needing
to change companies. The programmers and operators on
WICT’s “Best Companies” lists offer a variety of innovative
professional, leadership, and career development opportuni-
ties.
Julie Cookson, senior vice president of human resources
for Scripps Networks, understands first hand the positive
impact of such support. She has been with Scripps for 14
years, and now oversees the human resource initiatives for
five Scripps networks. In 1998, Ken Lowe, then the president
and CEO of Scripps Networks, asked Cookson to establish
the company’s human resources department. Her task was
to move the company from its “personnel” mindset to a true
human resource focus. “We had 250 employees. We needed
policies and corporate processes, but the bigger goal was
recruiting the right people, helping to grow the people who
were already here, and getting those networks on the air,” she
recalled.
Cookson was already taking advantage of the company’s
tuition reimbursement program to pursue a degree in inter-
national business. She switched her major to human resources
development upon receiving her new assignment. Changing
majors was her own choice. “I [wanted] people to know that
I was the subject matter expert and up to date on the trends,”
she said. “HR was starting to come into its own then. It was
moving from the personnel mindset of just administration
into being a business partner.”
Achieving her degree required great personal commit-
ment and flexibility from her company and her university.
Cookson spent 6½ years going to night school and taking on-
line courses, during which time she was also traveling for her
job 60 to 70 percent of the time. “I’m thankful to the schools
for having online classes, and to Scripps for giving me the nod
to set up the department and also to jump back into school,
which was probably a little crazy on my part. I wanted to get
it done, and to be able to show that value to people.”
In addition to her degree in human resources develop-
ment and business from The University of Tennessee in
Knoxville, Cookson also achieved a professional human
resources (PHR) certification. “If you want to be viewed as a
subject matter expert, there are plenty of ways to differentiate
yourself. Younger people are really good at asking for these
development opportunities and certifications, especially in the
IT world,” she said.
Cookson encouraged women to seek these types of
certifications. “You have to be competitive. If you are serving
on boards and panels, what do you want that introduction to
sound like? It can’t just be that you’re a person at the company
and have grown up there. You have to be aware of what’s go-
ing on externally.”
Leadership Development
Companies can also impact retention by supporting lead-
ership development programs for women at all levels. Traci
Gerth, director of Charter Business, Central States, for Char-
ter Communications, participated in the operator’s inaugural
Executive Development Institute, which provides leadership
training and strategic development to 25 high-potential senior
mangers each year. In addition, Gerth is a member of WICT’s
Betsy Magness Leadership Institute Class XVI, and she ob-
tained her MBA with help from Charter’s tuition reimburse-
ment program.
On a personal level, Gerth says that such training has
“allowed me the opportunity for self exploration to better
understand my strengths and areas for growth, to expand
my thought process, and to help define my leadership style.”
On a professional level, she adds that the training has “given
me exposure to high-level executives, provided internal and
external networking opportunities, and enhanced my strategic
thinking.”
Julie Cookson
Senior Vice President of
Human Resources, Scripps
Networks
Eliott Watts
Coordinator, Turner
Presentation Services, Turner
Broadcasting Systems Inc.

Training Potential Leaders
Elliott Watts, coordinator of Turner Presentation
Services, has been with Turner Broadcasting for nearly four
years. Watts’ department produces the ad sales and marketing
presentations for the various Turner networks. She coordi-
nates the work, ensuring that creative resources are available,
project deadlines are met, and clients are satisfied.
Turner leaders selected Watts to participate in the
company’s second class of its KEYS (Keys to Energizing Your
Success) program. The mini MBA program took 8 weeks to
complete, and included classroom sessions, white papers and
written essays, public speaking assignments, and a business
development project, all of which were graded.
Watts found the program very rewarding. “I discovered
my personal and professional growth potential, and increased
my confidence by stepping outside of my comfort zone,”
she said. “I’ve increased my knowledge of Turner’s businesses
and built cross-divisional contacts. One of the best parts was
building a really valuable relationship with my sponsor.”
Of particular interest to Watts were the module on risk
taking and the financial session led by Turner’s CFO, John
E. Kampfe. She also benefited from the presentation skills
assignment. Each woman in the class prepared a 4½ minute
“elevator speech” (what you would say if you met an execu-
tive in the elevator), was video taped giving the speech, and
critiqued by a presentation coach. At the end of the program,
they taped their speeches again to see how well they imple-
mented what they learned.
“It was nerve racking to watch,” recalled Watts. “They
encouraged you to show it to your friends, family, and col-
leges and get their feedback. It was not the most comfortable
experience, but it was really helpful to hone in on the things
you might not notice about yourself when you’re speaking.”
As a final project, the women all developed a new busi-
ness opportunity. They then broke into groups of six, and
each team selected a project to pursue. Watt’s group chose her
idea to develop further, and she pitched it to Turner’s senior
management. “I’ve now partnered with the vice president
of wireless digital technology in the platform research and
development group. We are working together to see if it can
come to life. I have had wonderful support from my manger
and upper management to pursue it and see what may come
of it,” she added.
Such support and commitment from a company builds
loyalty. “I hope to be a good leader for the company,” Watts
said. “I’m so inspired by our Turner executives, both the men
and women. I appreciate that they are taking the time to get
to know the employees, learn about them, and develop them
professionally.”
All Companies Operators Programmers Others
Leadership training: High-ranking women 77.14% 90.91% 73.68% 60.00%
Leadership training: Mid-level women 77.14% 90.91% 68.42% 80.00%
Leadership training: Entry-level women 71.43% 81.82% 63.16% 80.00%
Financial training: Nonfinancial managers 48.57% 45.45% 57.89% 20.00%
Financial training:
Rotation into operation positions
31.43% 45.45% 26.32% 20.00%
Formal mentoring: Companywide 48.57% 63.64% 47.37% 20.00%
Informal mentoring: Companywide 74.29% 72.73% 73.68% 80.00%
Career planning and retention:
Mid-level managers
68.57% 72.73% 63.16% 80.00%
Career planning and retention:
Women in IT, technology, engineering
60.00% 63.64% 57.89% 60.00%
Career planning and retention: Participation in
external womens’ development programs
54.29% 54.55% 57.89% 40.00%
Corporate womens’ network: Companywide 60.00% 63.64% 63.16% 40.00%
2007 PAR Initiative Results: Advancement Opportunities
Source: 2007 PAR Initiative Executive Report

5 PAR at Work — Spring 20086 PAR at Work — Spring 2008
Congratulations to the Best Companies for Women in Cable 2007
Best Operators for Women in Cable
Best Programmers for Women in Cable
Best Companies for Women in Pay Equity
Best Companies for Women in Advancement Opportunities
Best Companies for Women in Resources for Work/Life Support
opted the program and rolled it out globally. Colaccino
finds Discovery’s support very rewarding. “MentorNet
is something I helped create. I saw a need,…germinat-
ed the idea, and was able to see it through. That is such
an incredible feeling of empowerment,” she said. “I
have the ability to effect change, and the company likes
what I’m doing. I can’t tell you how terrific that makes
me feel, and it makes me want to do more.”
overwhelmed and so excited,” said Colaccino. It wasn’t just
employee response that Colaccino found rewarding. She
also was impressed with the number of executives offering
to be mentors. “We had three division presidents apply to
be mentors, unsolicited from us. I was so proud,” Colac-
cino said.
In 2007, MentorNet matched another 160 employees
and mentors, and in 2008 Discovery’s HR department ad-
Business Building Spurs Retention, cont.

Tips for a Long, Rewarding Career in Cable
n Learn to embrace change.
n Surround yourself with others who have
strengths you can learn from.
n Step out of your comfort zone. Take risks.
n Consider mobility. Move to where your dream
job is.
n Take advantage of opportunities and people to
grow and develop new skills.
n Learn from women who are in leadership
positions.
n Continue to learn about the industry: Read
trade magazines, attend classes, and network
with colleagues
n Join professional organizations. If your
company doesn’t pay for membership,
consider joining on your own.
n Stay competitive with your own career
building. Keep your eyes and ears open to
opportunities.
n Talk to your manager about career goals.
n Seek training. If none is offered, ask for it.
n Pursue continuing education and certifications.
n Stay true to yourself.
n Build networks within and outside your
organization.
n Stay current on technology trends and
competitive threats.
n Find a mentor with whom you can discuss your
hopes, dreams and aspirations.
n Ensure you have those conversations about
your hopes, dreams and aspirations with your
mentor.
n Put a career plan together with your mentor
based on your hopes, dreams and aspirations.
n Have a clear understanding of your purpose
and why you chose to lead.
n Don’t give up on a great idea. Believe you can
do it, and make yourself heard.
The result of your company’s efforts has enabled WICT to examine and bring atten-
tion to issues significantly affecting the cable workforce. Over the past five years, WICT
has collected significant data on the status of women in the cable industry and shared the
industry best practices implemented by the PAR company participants.
Through the many one-on-one interviews conducted by WICT’s consultant, Work-
ing Mother Media, WICT has discovered that many participating companies have a need
for tools to assist them in their application of the PAR best practices. We have collaborat-
ed with the Future Work Institute to identify the key areas that need further development
in the industry. We are pleased to present the WICT Management Guide for an Equitable
Workplace, which includes human resources tools to assist in the cultivation and improve-
ment of company business practices.
Visit www.wict.org/Research/PAR to download
your copy today.
Management Guide for an Equitable Workplace

The 2008 WICT PAR Initiative
survey is now available.
Visit www.wict.org for more information about the
PAR Initiative.
Contact Parthavi Das at par@wict.org if you have
any questions about participating.
P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t
o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s
f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y
e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t
o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s •
R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e
s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y •
A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s
• R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e
A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i -
t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r
w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y e q u i t y • A d v a n c e m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s • R e s o u r c e s f o r w o r k / l i f e s u p p o r t • P a y
WICT
PAR Initiative Survey 2008
The WICT PAR Initiative is a joint effort between
WICT and Working Mother Media
Women in Cable Telecommunications
14555 Avion Parkway, Suite 250
Chantilly, VA 20151
www.wict.org
Questions about the PAR Initiative?
Phone: 703.234.9803
Email: pdas@wict.org
Visit: www.wict.org
at WorkPAR

WICT PAR at Work Spring2008

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (13)

Similar to WICT PAR at Work Spring2008

Similar to WICT PAR at Work Spring2008 (20)

WICT PAR at Work Spring2008