Cox president Pat Esser has been re-elected chairman of the C-SPAN board.

That came at the public affairs networks' annual meeting, held remotely.

It is a changing of the guard nonetheless, with the election of three new directors and the exit of two of C-SPAN's longest-serving directors.

Also: C-SPAN Launches Free Mobile App

Exiting the board are John Evans, chairman of Evans Telecommunications, and Bob Miron, chairman of Advance Newhouse. Evans has been on the board since 1978 and Miron since 1986. Both are former chairs of the executive committee.

But there will still be a Miron on the board with the addition of Advance Newhouse CEO Steve Miron, who returns to the board as a senior director, joined by incoming Cox president Mark Greatrex and incoming NCTC CEO Lou Borelli, who takes the seat of his NCTC predecessor, Rich Fickle.

The current executive committee remains intact, comprising Esser (chairman); Comcast CEO Dave Watson (vice chairman); Charter president Tom Rutledge; Julie Laulis, president, Cable One; and Pat McAdaragh, president, Midco. The committee sets strategy and oversees finances.

C-SPAN is a suite of public affairs networks created and funded by the cable industry as a public service and supported by satellite and cable carriage fees.

Cox Communications CEO Patrick Esser’s decision to retire at the end of the year — he will be succeeded by company veteran Mark Greatrex — was met throughout the industry with equal parts regret at losing yet another of cable’s old guard and good wishes that one of the good guys gets to end his decades-long cable story on his own terms. 

Esser got his start in the cable business in 1979 as a pole climber for a small cable operator in Waterloo, Iowa. According to an interview he did with this reporter back in 2013 after receiving the industry’s highest honor — the Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership — Esser packed up his belongings and drove 1,000 miles to Hampton Roads, Virginia, the site of Cox's latest system buy. The catalyst? One of his sales managers in the Waterloo system was a former Cox employee who couldn’t stop talking about what a great company it was to work for. The then 20-something Esser decided to see for himself.  

“I knocked on the door of the cable system and I got a job as the public-access director,” Esser said at the time. “Everything I heard about Cox was true from the moment I stepped on the property.”

Esser’s first job at Cox was officially director of programming at the Hampton Roads system, and he was part of the management team that pioneered Cox’s advertising sales division now known as Cox Media. In 1991 he was named corporate vice president of advertising sales, rising to vice president of operations for Cox’s Western Division in 1999. A  year later he was promoted to senior vice president of operations and in 2004, Esser was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer.

In 2006, Esser was tapped to succeed CEO James Robbins, who had said earlier that he would retire that year. Robbins, who died in 2007,  said in a July 2005 interview he couldn’t have hoped for a better person to take the reins.

“Pat has absolutely been the home-run selection,” Robbins said in that July 2005 interview. 

Esser didn’t just have an impact on his own company. While he spearheaded and pushed along efforts to diversify Cox’s workforce and bring the company into the information age, he also enthusiastically waved the cable banner wherever he went. Throughout the years he served as chairman of  NCTA: The Internet & Television Association;  C-SPAN; CableLabs; adviser to the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and on the national Board of Governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. 

“Pat Esser’s contribution to our industry has been invaluable,” said NCTA: The Internet and Television Association CEO Michael Powell in a statement. “He’s a true cable success story, rising through the ranks from local executive to company CEO. Throughout, he has represented the heart and soul of our industry, always committed first to the welfare of Cox customers and employees.”

Through his journey throughout the industry, Esser has worked closely with other cable and telecom CEOs. He serves on C-SPAN’s board with Charter Communications chairman and CEO Tom Rutledge and has served with Mediacom Communications founder, chairman and CEO Rocco Commisso on the C-SPAN and NCTA boards. 

“Pat’s had a great career starting at entry level and rising to the top,” Rutledge said in a statement. “I’ve enjoyed working aside him on Industry efforts at NCTA and CableLabs.  Pat’s contribution to the industry is unmatched.  I have been personally lucky to work with Pat in an industry where long term business success has kept us on the same team for decades.  It’s been a pleasure.”

National Cable Television Cooperative CEO Lou Borrelli has known Esser for years, dating back to their early days in cable. Borrelli has logged 43 years in the cable business, beginning with UA-Columbia Cablevision in 1978. Borrelli also was a founding partner of Marcus Cable in 1986. 

"I had the good fortune to meet Pat back when our cable careers were getting off the ground," Borrelli said in a statement. "His energy was infectious and his word was his bond. Through numerous CTAM collaborations, Pat never ran out of ideas and always was up to the challenge. His track record at Cox is a testament to his work ethic and his ethics in business and life. Good luck and godspeed."

Esser also helped drive Cox forward as the industry changed, building on its decades-long reputation as the “gold standard” for the cable industry and unafraid to invest in new businesses like broadband.

“During Pat’s 15 years at the helm, Cox Communications became the gold standard of U.S. telecom companies,” Commisso said in a statement. “Through his many operational successes at Cox and his leadership within NCTA, Pat motivated us all to make the significant private investments necessary to turn our collective broadband networks into America’s most powerful technology platform.   I thank him for his tremendous contributions to our industry and wish Pat and his family all the best in the years ahead.” 

Powell also pointed to Esser’s history as a champion of the NCTA, leading its board of directors and trade show several times, and his commitment to diversity, both at Cox and throughout the industry. 

“Pat has been a leader and innovator in cable marketing; a visionary in cable operations and technology; an ally and champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion; and a thoughtful, forward-looking President & CEO of his company,” Powell continued. “As one of our industry’s most trusted and authentic voices, Pat has immense credibility with policy makers. He has helped provide a strong presence for our industry here in Washington and always has committed Cox Communications to the public good. I will miss Pat enormously as a friend, mentor, and advisor on all of our critical issues. We wish only the very best for him in his next chapter. We’re looking forward to working with Mark Greatrex, another formidable presence in our industry who will be a positive force as we move into the future.”

Esser has served as chairman of C-SPAN for about two years but has been a member of the organization since 2005. The Cox chief has also been a regular video contributor, participating in trade show forums broadcast on the channel ranging from the future of the cable business to Open Internet and consolidation. 

“You can't ask for a better chairman than Pat Esser,” C-SPAN said in a statement. “He is passionate about C-SPAN's mission and shares that enthusiasm throughout Cox. Over the past two years, he has been readily available with strategic guidance and encouragement as our network navigates a changing marketplace and we are confident we can continue to call on his wise counsel into the future.”

In 2006, Cox was first named in DiversityInc's listing of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity and in 2020, reached its highest ranking at No.11. Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) regularly recognizes Cox among the top operators for women.

"Pat Esser is an industry legend — 15 years of exemplary leadership at the helm of Cox and countless beneficiaries of his dedication to the industry and its DEI efforts,” Maria E. Brennan, WICT President & CEO, said in a statement. “We likewise congratulate Pat’s accomplished successor at Cox, Mark Greatrex, and look forward to continuing our strong partnership with the Cox leadership team."

Cox Communications said Monday that long-time president and CEO Patrick Esser will retire effective Dec. 31, after 15 years at the helm. He will be replaced by EVP and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Mark Greatrex who will be named president.

"I've always been fascinated by the cable business and have been fortunate to find a special family-owned company that lives its values," Esser said in a press release. "I'm grateful for the tremendous opportunities I've been given at Cox and the numerous mentors and committed peers that have helped me along this unbelievable ride of a lifetime."

Esser, 64, joined Cox in 1979 as director of programming at its Hampton Roads,  Va., operation and steadily moved up the ranks, being named chief operating officer in 2001.  He became CEO in 2006 after then-CEO James Robbins retired. During Esser’s tenure, Cox has more than doubled its business to become the largest private telecom company in the country, serving nearly seven million homes and businesses across 18 states. 

In addition, Esser serves as chair of the C-SPAN board and on the board of directors of CableLabs and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), i an adviser to the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications and on the national Board of Governors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. 

In 2007, Multichannel News named Esser its first "Executive of the Year" and in 2013, he was awarded the distinguished Vanguard Award for Leadership — the industry's highest honor. 

"We are extremely thankful to Pat Esser for his leadership at Cox Communications," said Alex Taylor, president and CEO of Cox Enterprises, Cox Communications’ parent. "He has grown the business consistently over the years. Even more meaningfully he has done it in the right way — by treating people well and making a positive impact in our communities. Pat is an extraordinary leader."

Taylor added that Greatrex, 58, will be "a great leader for the next chapter in Cox Communications' evolution. He is a wonderful executive and person. I have confidence he will continue to grow the business and will continue our commitment to making the company an exemplary corporate citizen."

Greatrex joined Cox in 2011 as chief marketing officer and was promoted to EVP  in 2015. Greatrex helped to develop the Cox brand to highlight its technology and brought to market innovations like Gigablast, Contour TV and Panoramic Wifi. 

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"I am honored to be leading this very special company with a celebrated history, and an exciting future full of optimism and great momentum," Greatrex said in a press release. "We have a winning strategy and I look forward to amplifying the incredible values of the Cox family and the mission to improve the lives of the next generation."

Esser said he is leaving the company in good hands.

“Mark is a strong and visionary leader who will sustain and amplify the momentum he's helped to achieve in the industry,” Esser said in the press release. “His energy, creativity and sharp strategic sensibilities will drive continued innovation, excellence and passion for our customers. I wish him the best as he moves into his new role."

Cox CEO Pat Esser has been elected chairman of the board of C-SPAN, the suite of public service networks funded by the cable industry.

That came at C-SPAN's virtual board meeting. "I’m proud to be part of the team of cable operators who financially support and distribute this vital network that gives government visibility to millions of Americans every day," said Esser in a statement.

Comcast Cable CEO Dave Watson, who has been executive committee chairman, is vice chairman of the board.

Earlier this year, Watson was elected chairman of the board of NCTA-The Internet & Television Association, succeeding Esser. 

Elected to a two-year term on the C-SPAN board was Vyve Broadband president Phil Spencer. Re-elected to their seats were NCTC president Rich Fickle and Bob Miron, retired chair of Advance/Newhouse.

Also joining the board as senior executive directors are C-SPAN co-CEOs Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain.

The C-SPAN executive committee, the board working group that oversees C-SPAN finances comprises Esser, Watson, Charter CEO Tom Rutledge; Cable One CEO Julie Laulis, and Midco CEO Pat McAdaragh.

Cox Communications named Len Barlik EVP and chief operating officer of the cable company. He replaces Jill Campbell, who was promoted to parent Cox Enterprises earlier this month.

Barlik joined Cox in 2011 as executive vice president of product management and development. During his tenure, Cox launched several products such as Contour, the company’s flagship video product, Gigabit broadband speeds for residential customers and the Homelife home security and automation portfolio. Most recently, he served as chief human resources officer where he realigned leadership, processes and tools to better equip the evolving workforce to meet customer needs, Cox said.

RELATED: Taylor, Campbell promoted to Cox Enterprises leadership roles

“No matter the role, Len’s approach is always characterized by a long-range, strategic vision, a sense of urgency and the ability to move an organization to deliver on its strategy,” Cox president Pat Esser said in a statement. “As chief operations officer, Len will ensure that our marketplace strategies are tightly aligned with our operating principles so that we can continue to improve the customer experience and grow the company.”

As executive vice president and chief operations officer, Barlik will oversee field operations, customer experience, care operations, field service strategy, operations process management and public affairs.

Charter Communications chair/CEO Tom Rutledge had been re-elected chairman of NCTA-The Internet & Television Association.

Cable execs were in Washington this week for the Cable Hall of Fame and NCTA's Near Future conference.

Also re-elected for second, one-year terms, on the board were Pat Esser, president, Cox Communications, vice chair; and John Skipper, ESPN president and co-chair, Disney Media Networks, secretary.

Dave Watson was elected to a first term as treasurer. He is president of Comcast Cable and EVP of Comcast Corp.

Bob Stanzione, executive chairman of Arris, was re-elected to a two-year term.

Elected at-large programmer directors were: David Zaslav, president, Discovery Communications; Peter Rice, chairman, Fox Networks Group; and Josh Sapan, president, AMC Networks, each to two-year terms.

Bob Bakish, president of Viacom, was elected for a one-year term.

Elected at-large system directors to new, three-year terms were John Evans, chairman, Evans Telecommunications, and Pat McAdaragh, president, Midco.

Nancy Dubuc, president of A+E Networks, and Alfred Liggins, president of Radio One and chairman of TV One, were named to at-large director seats for two-year terms.

SCTE/ISBE and Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth said Pat Esser, president of Cox Communications, will be a featured speaker during an annual education/leadership event  slated to take place May 7-12 on the Dartmouth College campus in Hanover, N.H.

Entering its seventh year, the SCTE/ISBE Leadership Institute at Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth program is aimed at senior directors, vice presidents, senior and executive vice presidents and C-level executives from across the cable industry. The program’s curriculum offers opportunities for intensive learning and peer interaction for executives representing cable system operators, vendors, industry associations and other organizations, they said.

Esser will share insights as part of a “fireside chat” with SCTE/ISBE-Tuck attendees, and will also field questions from program participants.

“Under Pat Esser, Cox Communications has been widely recognized for its technology excellence, its consumer service and its commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Mark Dzuban, president and CEO of SCTE/ISBE, in a statement. “We’re extremely grateful to Pat for his willingness to share the philosophy behind the company’s success with the next generation of cable industry leaders.”

Other guest lecturers at SCTE/ISBE-Tuck have included Michael Powell, president and CEO of NCTA—The Internet & Television Association; Neil Smit, president and CEO of Comcast Cable; Michael Angelakis, former vice chairman and CFO of Comcast; Balan Nair, executive vice president and CTO of Liberty Global; Bob Stanzione, executive chairman and chairman of the board of Arris; Phil McKinney, president and CEO of CableLabs; and Jerry Kent , the former chairman and CEO of Suddenlink (now part of Altice USA). The late Glenn Britt, chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable, began the program’s tradition of industry guest lecturers in 2011. 

Cox Communications has named Sujata Gosalia executive vice president and chief strategy officer, effective Jan 2.

Gosalia will  oversee existing strategy and new business development organizations and be responsible for strategic business planning, competitive assessments, marketplace evaluations and new growth opportunities.

She has more than 15 years experience, most recently as senior vice president of strategy for Sodexo, a B2B services company, where she drove a global transformation in the company’s corporate services segment. Gosalia previously served as a partner in the communications, media and technology practice of the international consulting firm Oliver Wyman, where she also served as head of the firm’s New York office. She was also senior vice president of marketing at Neustar, a cloud-based information and analytics company, where she was responsible for marketing strategy and offer innovation across the company’s product portfolio. 

"The communications, connectivity, and entertainment needs of our customers are evolving rapidly,” Cox president Pat Esser said in a statement. “Sujata brings a great diversity of perspective as we explore new strategies to meet those needs.  Her experience will be a key asset as we set priorities, pursue growth and continue new business development for our company."

Gosalia holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and international studies from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a master’s degree in politics of the world economy from the London School of Economics. She serves as a board member of the national non-profit organization South Asian-Americans Leading Together.

Cox Communications has long been the gold standard in the cable industry, reaching the top of the list of cable operators in J.D. Power customer-satisfaction surveys and as one of the first pioneering operators to introduce telephone services way back in 1997. Lately, though, Atlanta-based Cox has been more known as a target. Altice NV chairman Patrick Drahi made his desire for the family-owned cable operator well-known as he made plays for, first, Time Warner Cable and then Suddenlink Communications and Cablevision Systems. Cox made it clear it had no intention of selling, and it maintains that position today.

And why would Cox sell out? As one of the last remaining independently owned cable operators — controlled by the Cox family, it is part of Cox Enterprises and is the largest private telecom company in the U.S. — the MSO has thrived. Like its larger peers, Cox has reduced video customer losses over the past several years while consistently growing broadband subscribers: it has about 6 million residential and commercial customers. Commercial revenue is expected to reach $2 billion this year and president Patrick Esser believes $3 billion in annual sales in that category is not that far away.

Cox also continues to innovate. It has licensed Comcast’s X1 operating platform for a new version of its multiscreen Contour offering; launched a mobile-first, app-based offering aimed at millennials called Contour Flex Watch; and is trialing a Spanish-language video streaming service called Glosi. Efforts to convert Cox’s network to all-digital are expected to be completed this year and other projects, like an in-home gateway, Internet protocol- based voice service and DOCSIS 3.1-based Gigabit broadband are all on the way.

Esser says execution, not consolidation, drives Cox and its management team, led by chairman James Kennedy and himself; executive vice president and chief operating officer Jill Campbell; EVP and chief financial officer Mark Bowser; EVP and chief technology officer Kevin Hart; EVP and chief marketing and sales officer Mark Greatrex; and EVP of product development and management Steve Necessary. For stability and innovation amid the industry’s constant change, Cox Communications has earned the title of 2016 Multichannel News Distributor of the Year. Esser — the top executive at Cox since 2006 and an employee since signing on as director of programming in Hampton Roads, Va., in 1979 — spoke with senior finance editor Mike Farrell about Cox’s present and future positioning in the multichannel universe.

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MCN:Cox is one of the last sizable, independent family-owned cable operators left. Given how consolidation continues to transform the landscape, how do you maintain that independence in the new order?

Patrick Esser: When you look at the industry in general, we all talk about how much change we’re going through. I would probably use the word metamorphosis. I think it’s more of a step change than just change. You have to think about things differently today than you did five to 10 years ago, especially as it relates to the products we put out for our customers to use; the capabilities we have, what it is going to take to compete and grow.

The three things that I think about a lot are the pace of change that’s going on with technology; the pace of change going on with consumer behavior; and what’s going on with competition and consumers’ ability to choose. Those are all moving at such a rapid pace. That is really driving a lot of the change that is going on in the business.

That being said, our networks are faster today and smarter than they’ve ever been. The devices we’re putting in businesses and people’s homes and the experience they’re having is faster and smarter. The bottom line is this: Our customers are just more connected. You have to think about the business as a connected world.

Our mantra, which comes from the employees that deal with customers every day, is we connect people to the things in life they care most about. That drives a lot of our decision-making.

We have a very highly capable network. From the 1996 Telecom Act to this year, we’ve invested over $25 billion. We continue to spend at least 15% of our revenue every year on capital, most of that going into our network, to keep our network highly competitive and capable of delivering today’s products and services and ones we want to put into the market in the future. We’re very committed to our local communities. We believe this is a local business and so do our employees. That’s part of what makes Cox, Cox.

Our products are competitive. But you have to have those moments where you’re willing to pioneer some things, even before the product is fully baked, to keep yourself on your toes, leaning forward and moving at the kind of pace that the market is and your customers are.

But even talking about those things, in reference to Cox, I think it’s our people. I think it’s the values we all live by and our people’s commitment to take care of our customers that makes us such a special company. And none of this would be possible without the leadership and tone that is set by the Cox family. They are incredible stewards of this asset and their values have transcended generations for over 100 years, and they care about the businesses they own, the markets they do business in and the people that come to work here every day. So our values are very intact, and it gives us the ability to talk to [the family] and think long-term about the business.

MCN:You mentioned consolidation. Obviously, that has been a big issue over the past few years. Does having 4 million video customers have the same clout it did five years ago? How do you feel about scale?

PE: Scale really occurs at two levels: nationally and locally. Locally, we believe we have the scale in the markets we do business in. We can do the marketing and sales and service activities we need to do to compete and we’re willing to make investments in those markets. There are a couple of places where scale plays out, and that is in innovative platforms and services that you want to roll out and also with the supply chain work going on — in other words, the money you spend to buy products and services. We have a pretty close handle on what the difference is because of our size, in terms of what we pay for some of the products and services and content. That is always a tradeoff that we make.

To be able to 100% control a company — and don’t forget, no individual, no family is making a bigger bet on this industry than the Cox family — all of this company is owned by them and it is a large bet for them. So they think about it that way. The second thing about the markets you do business in, we can do the marketing, we can do the sales, we can do the execution we want to, but we have to be cognizant of the platforms. That’s why things like working with Comcast on the X1 platform as the foundational platform for our video product called Contour, was an important move for us to get the kind of innovation scale we wanted to get. The industry’s broadband platform is DOCSIS, we all share that same platform. That was important to us.

Our Homelife product [uses] a company called iControl; we all use that same platform. So it is important that you don’t do one-offs to the point that you lose innovation; that you are still swimming in the same direction that our peers are swimming. And that gives us some of the scale that we need.

MCN:But Cox really hasn’t been in the deal market since TCA Cable [in 1999].

PE: We’ve been doing deals. We’ve just been investing in other spaces, especially adjacent spaces.

MCN:In keeping with the industry trend of pigeonholing its participants, are you a buyer? A seller? Neither? Both?

PE: We have this total flexibility as a private company, and our balance sheet is in really good shape, to do whatever we want to do, whether it be in adjacent spaces or core business. But execution is where most of our time has been focused. And because we take such a long-term view on the business, we can be patient or we can [make moves] depending on the moment in time. I have had numerous conversations with Cox Enterprises and members of the Cox family that are very, very happy with this asset and where they stand today. We are right in the middle of our budgeting and long-range planning and we like what our plan says to us. There’s not been any lack of commitment by the Cox family or Cox Enterprises in the business. I don’t see any of that changing.

MCN:You touched on being a private company. It would seem that would be a big advantage because there isn’t a large group of outsiders pressuring the company to do something it might not want to do.

PE: I agree. You nailed it. That’s it. We have a different set of criteria and decision makers who plan to be here and to pass this on to their children or the next generation, so they think about it very differently.

MCN:Cable video has picked up, broadband is going strong and others are focusing on mobile and online. Where do you see the growth happening in this business going forward?

PE: There is more video being consumed today than ever in the history of the country. Now, it’s being done on different platforms, it’s been aggregated in different ways and we have to adapt to meet the customer where they want to consume it. But we are still bullish about the video business. The broadband business has been an incredible business for us, all the way back to 1997 when we launched it. We continue to add a lot of broadband customers every year. I think they buy the service because the product continues to perform extremely well, we continue to invest heavily in that space, we continue to raise our speeds [and] we offer customers a lot of choice. I think we have a lot of wind left in our sails with broadband.

Business services have done very well for us. We will hit $2 billion in annualized revenue for business services this year. Compare that to the size we are, that’s pretty impressive. Per business passed, per homes passed, per [fiber] mile laid, whatever term you want to use, we have performed extremely well in that space. I’m going to share a secret with you. We had a 10-year plan to build that business to $2 billion and this was the year we thought we could do it in, and we’re right on schedule. I think it could be a $3 billion business for us. There are some things we have to do and some investments we have to make in adjacent spaces to make it a $3 billion business, but with the team we have and the relationships we have in our communities and the customers we serve, they all want us to do more and more and more. Working with the other cable operators in the industry, we have just scratched the surface on enterprise revenue. Most of the stuff we’re doing is local and regional. But there are solutions and products that we can bring to the market that can make large nationwide, larger footprint customers very happy. I think that is the next phase of growth.

MCN:Have you made a lot of inroads into large enterprise business?

PE: Large regionals and small local business is our bread and butter today. Large regionals are city government, schools, military and banking. Those are large regionals we do very well with. I consider the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority a large regional; they’ve been a very big customer for us. At the same time if you drive down the street, you can see business after business after business with 20 or fewer employees. We have done extremely well in that space. Our market share is getting to pretty impressive levels. It’s just a matter of the industry getting to a place where we have a standardized set of products that we can go to large enterprise customers [with], and serve them nationwide working together as an industry.

MCN:Cox has also made some moves with new products like a Spanish-language OTT service Glosi. What was the strategy behind that?

PE: We just saw a consumer group that was being underserved. Sometimes you have to say, “OK, if I have a large customer opportunity, and this is the content that they want and they want it both on their TV and their screen of choice, how do I get the content? How do I put it on their screen of choice? How do I make it a reasonable value play?” Remember, I said you can’t be afraid to pioneer. You have to go to the market and trial it and see what the customers tell you. We’re in a trial now with that product.

MCN:You have another relatively new offering, the app-delivered Flex Watch product. Is that your answer to younger viewers who want mobility and skinny bundles?

PE: It is mobile-first. We recognize the point that they may or may not consider the television their primary screen. That’s not my decision, that’s the consumer’s decision, it’s just accepting that. What is the aggregated set of content they want and what price point makes sense for them and allows me flexibility to do that? Whether they’re younger or it just meets their lifestyle — because not everybody’s 25 years old — it gives us another product that fits a lifestyle, and we’re trying to be responsive to the market within the constructs of what our content agreements allow us to do.

MCN:Everyone seems to be struggling to figure out a mobile strategy and video seems to be driving that. People are watching a lot of content on their phone.

PE: They’re watching a lot of content period. A lot of journalists have written that video is dead; they’re missing the point. It’s just showing up in more places than it ever has before. So content aggregators like ourselves have to adjust and adapt to what consumers are telling us. At the same time, we have the majority of our customers who love the video experience on a large screen TV in their front room. And we cannot leave them behind in terms of investments, and we’re not.

MCN:What about the next level — having an OTT product that goes outside the footprint? Has that tempted you at all?

PE: It hasn’t because it doesn’t fit with our core competency. That core competency of the local market has been really important to us. That competency of leveraging the network we’ve built; our service and billing organizations are all built around geographic regions. So no, we have no intention to work in that space.

MCN:Not even down the road, as the market becomes more saturated?

PE: Who knows in five years, but right now there is no energy being spent on that.

MCN:You were the first U.S. company to license Comcast’s X1 platform. What made you decide to go that route, rather than develop one yourself?

PE: Comcast has done a wonderful job developing that product. We got an opportunity to look into their road map and out further and there was a situation where they were willing to license it and its capabilities to us for about what we were spending a year on our video products. They’ve been a wonderful partner, by the way. They have something like 1,500 engineers working on this every day. I will never have 1,500 engineers working on it, but it creates a national platform that is extremely powerful and everything they said in their road map, they have done it.

We looked at the market; we looked at all of our options, even what we were doing ourselves, and we couldn’t think of a better scenario than the X1 platform. It made sense to us financially; it gave us, we thought, the most competitive product in the market and a product that continues to evolve. Fortunately they’ve got about 25 million reasons to get it right. They’re as motivated to get it right and keep it innovative as anybody, and we benefit by that.

MCN:How long before this is in everyone’s hands? Is it available in all of your markets now?

PE: Any customer in any Cox market can order the product. We rolled it out across the entire company. Over the next few years, it will become a larger and larger part of our user interface. It’s not going to be a forced migration.

MCN:Cox has always been willing to take risks and to admit when it was time to cut its losses and move on. You did that with the cellular business a few years ago, perhaps a good idea at the time but when the market shifted you pulled the plug. What have you learned from those mistakes?

PE: You have to have an environment that allows people to take risks; otherwise you will not be able to keep up with the pace of change. We’re right now in the process of wrapping up going all-digital, we’re driving the next generation of DOCSIS into the market — 3.1 will be here before you know it. We’re building fiber deeper and deeper. We’re building an all-IP voice platform. We have the next-generation gateway for the home [and] we have a whole new way to think about the WiFi experience in the home.

You’ve got to constantly be pushing yourself to move. You may never be able to move faster than the market, but you have to try to keep a cadence that reflects the market. If not, competitors will show up and steal valuable customers from you, and that shouldn’t happen. You have to be willing to make the investments, you’ve got to be willing to take some chances, you have to have extremely competent leaders and people working in the company — which we do — that you bet on and that you believe in. And you’ve got to be willing, if you’re wrong, to change.

In other words, we’re going to do some things, we’re going to trial some things, we’re going to launch some things. And if we find out six months later or a year later it wasn’t exactly what we thought it would be, then stop. Nobody’s ego is involved here: stop, learn and move on. I don’t care what Cox business you’re in, whether it’s the automotive division, the media division or the telecom division, I think that entrepreneurial spirit lives in all of them.

Get more #INTX2016 news.

The 2016 Cable Hall of Fame inductees are a group of significant players from a wide variety of industry disciplines, from present-day leaders in technology and operations to the executive who helped launch one of cable’s iconic programming services to a pair of key political power players with front-row seats to this year’s intriguing presidential election.

The new honorees include Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough of MSNBC’s Morning Joe; Pat Esser, president of Cox Communications; John D. Evans, chairman and CEO of Evans Telecommunications; Tom Rogers, non-executive chairman of TiVo; Robert J. Stanzione, chairman and CEO of Arris, and John O. “Dubby” Wynne, retired president and CEO of Landmark Communications, who helped that company launch The Weather Channel.

All will be honored at the 19th annual Cable Hall of Fame celebration, set for Monday (May 16) in the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. The gala event, to benefit The Cable Center in Denver, coincides with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s INTX: The Internet and Television Expo.

“I am thrilled to welcome these seven industry leaders into the Cable Hall of Fame,” said Michael Willner, president and CEO of Penthera Partners and the chairman of the 2016 Cable Hall of Fame selection committee. “This year’s class members represent so many different aspects of our industry — from programming to operators, to technology and equipment. Each one of them has had a unique and immense impact on the growth of the cable industry and its influence on today’s society.”

Also to be honored at the Hall of Fame ceremonies — in his hometown of Boston — is Continental Cablevision co-founder, chairman and CEO Amos Hostetter, 2016 recipient of the Bresnan Ethics in Business Award, named in honor of the late William Bresnan, founder and chairman of Bresnan Communications and a longtime member of the Cable Center board (see profile).

Katty Kay, lead anchor of BBC World News America, the BBC’s flagship U.S. newscast, will return to emcee the Boston event. She also hosted the 2012 Hall of Fame celebration.

“We are delighted to have Katty Kay return as the master of ceremonies for our Cable Hall of Fame celebration,” Jana Henthorn, president and CEO of The Cable Center, said. “The Cable Hall of Fame is the premier event that honors our industry, and I look forward to welcoming industry friends and associates as we gather to salute our seven honorees.”

Special thanks to Erica Stull of Stull WordWorks for honoree profiles.

Amos B. Hostetter Jr.
2016 Bresnan Ethics in
Business Award Honoree

Long known as a role model and industry statesman, Amos Hostetter is a natural fit for the Bresnan Ethics in Business Award. Over the course of his more than 50-year career, Hostetter has consistently demonstrated ethical leadership and personal commitment to community and society.

The co-founder, chairman and CEO of Continental Cablevision entered the cable industry in 1963. That’s when he and Amherst fraternity brother Irv Grousbeck each came up with $1,500 to build cable operations in Tiffin and Fostoria, Ohio. From that humble beginning and 4,000 subscribers, Continental Cablevision grew to serve 4.2 million customers across the U.S. before it was purchased by US West in 1996. Continental was the nation’s third-largest cable MSO at the time.

Unlike many cable companies that got bigger through acquisition, Continental grew by building new franchises, a process that put company leaders in close contact with local franchise officials. The early days of cable franchising were rough and tumble, with operators and communities aggressively pressing negotiating advantages. Unimpeachable ethical standards were a trademark of Continental’s franchise activities, and the “square shooter” reputation helped the company succeed.

“The single most important thing I did to maintain ethics in the company was recruiting,” Hostetter said. “Irv and I wanted people with a well-tuned moral compass. The standing rule was, ‘don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mother to read about in the newspaper.’”

Hostetter has served as a board member and chairman of NCTA, and he was a highly respected representative for the cable industry. In his 1999 interview for The Cable Center’s oral history program, Hostetter told interviewer Steve Nelson that cable was an industry that can do well by doing good. “I think the companies that have set a standard of service and performance and contribution to their communities have in fact been the companies that have financially done the best … I would certainly argue that that was Continental’s objective in its years in business.”

Hostetter was a founding board member and former chairman of C-SPAN and of Cable in the Classroom. He also served on the boards of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Children’s Television Workshop. Today, he is chairman of Pilot House Associates.

His charitable work includes positions as chair emeritus of the WGBH board of trustees and Amherst College, and trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Mika Brzezinski
Co-Host
MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’

With more than two decades on air and multiple best-selling books to her credit, Mika Brzezinski has earned her place in the spotlight. The co-host of one of cable’s most popular news shows started out in Hartford, Conn., as a broadcaster, editor and reporter with WTIC-TV. Brzezinski went national in 1996 as a CBS News correspondent and anchor. Her work for CBS included live reporting from lower Manhattan during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. She moved to cable in 2007 as co-host of Morning Joe, where she provides counterpoint to the comments of co-host Joe Scarborough.

Politics and hard work come naturally to Brzezinski. Growing up during the Carter administration as the daughter of national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and sculptor Emilie Brzezinski, she was exposed early to big ideas and remarkable people. The family hosted dignitaries, including the pope, and the budding journalist had a view of work-life balance at the highest level. She said her father’s political experience, writing and ability to communicate policy helped prepare her for her current job. And she credited her mother for fostering her career commitment.

“She was always an artist first and a wife and mother second,” Brzezinski recalled. “To be a better mother and wife, she needed to foster her passion for art. In doing so, she taught me how to be the best version of myself by following my own passions. I respect my dad for so many reasons, but one of them is his faith in my mom and her talent.”

As the demands of covering a presidential campaign increase, Brzezinski recharges by running. Central Park is her favorite route when on home turf, and she often conducts interviews and business calls as she runs. A student and chronicler of the unique challenges women confront in their careers, Brzezinski is an advocate for women in the workplace — especially through her Know Your Value campaign. She advises the next generation of female journalists: “Don’t apologize — speak with conviction and confidence. Don’t worry about making everyone comfortable — command respect first and friendship will follow.”

Pat Esser
President
Cox Communications

Growing up in Algona, Iowa, Pat Esser was hooked on cable early. The future Cox executive was dazzled when cable came to town and his family suddenly had access to 12 TV channels.

“Our rotary antenna was our portal to the world,” he recalled. As a youngster, Esser also learned about personal commitment to customer service while running deliveries for his family’s dry-cleaning business. “I understand what it means to have your family name on the door. I fully appreciate what the Cox family feels about their company.”

Esser got his first cable job climbing poles and then making door-to-door sales calls while studying at the University of Northern Iowa. After graduation in 1979, Esser joined Cox as director of programming with the company’s new cable system in Hampton Roads, Va. He returned to UNI to earn a master’s degree in communications media and then came back to Cox for his first big professional challenge: building the company’s advertising sales division, known today as Cox Media. “Building a cause, building a business” was the source of some of his happiest memories, Esser said.

Named Cox’s corporate vice president of advertising sales in 1991, Esser became the company’s Western division vice president of operations in 1999. Promotions continued, and he was ultimately named president of Cox Communications in 2006.

Esser has led the Cox team through a range of business obstacles over the years, but none would be as challenging as Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Cox operates in Louisiana markets, and Katrina was devastating for the company’s employees and communities, as well as its cable plant. “Being part of that recovery, how Cox responded to our people, our customers, changed me forever,” Esser recalled. “[Cox chairman] Jim Kennedy didn’t blink. He said, ‘Make sure we know where our employees are at, make sure they’re OK, that they know we’re going to rebuild the market and they’ll have jobs.’”

That experience was one of many that cemented Esser’s passion for his job. “I’ve been at Cox 37 years, and I still love coming to work,” he said. “My heart rate still picks up.”

John D. Evans
Chairman and CEO
Evans Telecommunications

John Evans has been a leader in media from an early age. He served four years as a U.S. Navy communications officer during the Vietnam buildup, and was put in command of Navy television worldwide at 26. He went into radio after the service, but saw cable television as a “sunshine industry” with huge potential.

When American Television and Communications offered him a cable-system job in Charleston, W. Va., in 1972, he grabbed it. In 1976, Arlington TeleCommunications Corp. (ARTEC) recruited him to head up the creation of the first cable system in the Washington, D.C. area. Because it served members of Congress, FCC commissioners and other federal officials, the Arlington system played an outsize industry role as cable grew and drew greater scrutiny.

When ARTEC’s investors sold in 1983, the system became Hauser Communications’s flagship operation. Evans became president of Hauser Communications, working with industry visionary Gus Hauser for more than 12 years.

Even with an impressive cable operations background, Evans may be best known for his contribution to programming. In 1977, he went to lunch with an old Navy buddy, Brian Lamb, who was then Washington bureau chief for Cablevision magazine. Evans commented that the House of Representatives had just installed closed-circuit cameras. The two friends talked about beaming the House’s closed-circuit feed across the river via microwave to the Arlington system for public distribution.

“Maybe we could open the government up,” Evans recalled thinking. He believed doing so might prevent another Vietnam War. “We filed for a microwave license from Capitol Hill to our headend site, and agreed to provide free of charge all the technical space and facilities.” That was the start of C-SPAN.

Evans has been on the National Cable & Telecommunications Association board of directors since 1981 — the organization’s longest-serving board member. He has also been a C-SPAN board member since the network’s inception in 1979. Public service is a strong value for Evans. He represents the industry as the only nonacademic trustee of Internet2, an advanced, higher-education technology community connected by 18,000 miles of fiber backbone.

Designated a “Patron of Diplomacy,” Evans serves on the U.S. Department of State’s Fine Arts Committee and its LGBT Global Equality Fund. As founder of the John D. Evans Foundation, he is committed to social justice, AIDS vaccine research, environmental protection, technological innovation, education and the arts.

Tom Rogers
Chairman
TiVo

If Tom Rogers were a superhero, he might be known as the “Rejuvenator.” Over the course of more than 30 years in telecommunications, TiVo’s chairman has made a specialty of bringing organizations back from the brink. “I guess I’ve always had fun when something that looked like it was over and irrelevant was born again,” he said.

Rogers’s early fascination with media was inspired by an eighth-grade social studies teacher. “He brought media into the classroom as a way of understanding the world,” he says. Rogers was probably the only teenager in Scarsdale, N.Y., with his own TV Guide subscription who also had a fascination with the magazine’s weekly column on the FCC and industry activity.

After graduating from Columbia Law School and working for two years with a Wall Street law firm, Rogers began his telecom career in 1981. He was hired as senior counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance Subcommittee, with responsibilities that included FCC oversight and drafting the Cable Act of 1984. The ’84 Act, he said, “was very much about unleashing the cable industry’s potential for more channels to develop, which was a key theory of the case.” Even with his belief in the promise of cable, Rogers said, “it surprised me just how many channels, how much content, how many sources of information, ultimately emerged.”

He joined the private sector in 1987, going to NBC and quickly becoming first president of NBC Cable, starting up the division and launching CNBC. Rogers then led Primedia for four years. The company owned media properties ranging from Cable World to New York magazine.

He then joined TiVo in 2005 as CEO. As cable operators developed competing digital video recorders, TiVo’s successful run appeared to be in jeopardy. Rogers attacked that issue with a vengeance by bringing TiVo ultimately to a full embrace by the cable industry and setting the company back on a path to growth. TiVo now serves about 75 operators in more than 30 countries. In May, the company agreed to be acquired by Rovi in a deal valued at about $1.1 billion.

Rogers advises the next generation of cable programming executives not to “rest on existing models, but know that if you don’t push to the next level, someone else is gonna push there and make you less meaningful or relevant in a changing content distribution and viewership world … No matter how many noes others say you will get, if you’ve got the right plan, the cable industry will listen and ultimately buy in.”

Joe Scarborough
Co-host
MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’

Joe Scarborough has always dreamed big. As a kid, he wanted to be “an all-star shortstop in the major leagues and a guitarist in a band bigger than the Beatles.” And he has been talking about politics most of his life.

The Morning Joe co-host enjoyed watching the news with his father from an early age. “We would watch election night returns together,” he recalled. “Those were some of my earliest and best memories with him.”

As an attorney in Florida, Scarborough continued to pursue his interest in politics. He ran as a Republican in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, seeking to replace the retiring Democratic incumbent. Scarborough won that vote and went on to serve four terms in Congress, representing Florida from 1994 to 2001 and serving on the Judiciary, Armed Services, Oversight and National Security committees.

After leaving Congress, Scarborough found his way into cable as host of Scarborough Country, an evening political show on MSNBC. When Don Imus left the network’s morning show in 2007, Scarborough lobbied to replace him. Morning Joe debuted in July 2007.

Scarborough said he believes his time as a politician gives him valuable perspective as a political commentator. “When I was a congressman,” he said, “I witnessed politics up close and saw what happened behind closed doors. That insight allowed me to call out politicians when they weren’t being straightforward with the voters and the press. Being a politician … has always enhanced my analysis and given me better intuition in interviews.”

In addition to his career as a political representative, cable commentator and author, Scarborough has almost achieved one of his early dreams. They’re not bigger than the Beatles, but Scarborough’s band, Morning Joe Music, is an important part of his life. The nine-piece group performs regularly in New York, and recently went on the road for a gig at South by Southwest in Austin. Scarborough plays guitar and sings lead.

“I just love music,” he said. “It’s great to share the experience with other people — especially members of the band who have become my friends. I love the process from start to finish.”

Robert J. Stanzione
Chairman and CEO
Arris

“When a door opens, walk through.” Robert Stanzione’s advice to future cable engineers has guided his own career and yielded tremendous results.

As a kid in South Carolina, Stanzione dreamed of being an architect, an airline pilot or an engineer. He chose the third option, earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson University and a master’s in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University. “Engineering was and still is a great basic education; a way to get started in industry,” he said. “The rest of it was on-the-job training.”

AT&T gave the young engineer room to explore. He spent 25 years with the company, eventually moving into general management. Stanzione was introduced to the exciting world of cable when he managed an AT&T-Bell Labs project with ANTEC Corporation. “It was sort of a skunk works within Bell Labs, the first hybrid fiber-coax in the industry. I became fascinated, not only with the technology, but with the dynamic aspects of the cable industry and the people in it … It was ready, aim, fire; let’s try it out, see if it works, and if it works, we’ll deploy it.”

Nortel Networks and ANTEC formed a joint venture in 1995 and recruited Stanzione to start Arris Interactive. It was an exciting time as the cable industry prepared to introduce telephone service. Stanzione recalled: “It was a fairly radical idea in the early ’90s that a cable operator could offer reliable telephone service. It was a lot of fun being at the front end of that and seeing our products going into networks all over the world that allowed cable companies to offer reliable two-way service. We knew the technology was solid, but we didn’t know whether the industry would accept the responsibility of this culture of reliability. It came through with flying colors.”

Stanzione and his team worked their way through the telecom crash of 2001, subsequently building Arris into a Fortune 500 enterprise through a series of strategic mergers, acquisitions and the internal development of advanced broadband and video platforms. He has walked through lots of doors over the years, and advises others to do the same.

“Just have fun!” he advised. “[Cable] is such a dynamic business. It always has been and will continue to be. Look forward, try new things.”

John O. “Dubby” Wynne
Retired President and CEO
Landmark Communications

Although he wasn’t a weatherman, Dubby Wynne has always known which way the wind was blowing in cable. He and his Landmark colleagues seized an opportune moment in the industry’s growth to build The Weather Channel, an international institution.

A talented high school athlete, Wynne liked competition and change. “I went to law school because I thought I wanted to go into politics, and quickly learned that isn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a businessman.” He joined Landmark in 1974 and was in charge of the company’s broadcasting and video division and new business development by 1980.

“It was one of those crazy times,” he said. “Cable programming provided a rising tide for lots of us. We got a lot more responsibility than we would have gotten in mature industries.”

When broadcast meteorologist John Coleman proposed creating a national TV-weather service for cable, Wynne was intrigued, but believed that local weather was the real opportunity for a new network supported by advertising. Wynne’s team created a device to insert local National Weather Service forecasts into cable system headends. The Weather Channel was ready to roll in 1982.

Wynne remembers, “When we launched our service, most people were just laughing at [the 24-hour weather concept]. Although in some areas like New York City, people already carried an umbrella all the time. In California, they said, ‘I don’t care, it never rains here.’ But we knew from our television and radio experience that weather in most communities was a subject of high interest.”

After a year, Wynne and team realized their ad-supported financial model wouldn’t work. “We needed subscriber fees. We showed our finances to the cable operators. It was just a few pennies per subscriber, but getting that done was what made The Weather Channel successful.”

Retired since 2001, Wynne continues a full schedule of philanthropy and volunteer work, including improving the state of Virginia’s approach to economic development. “I don’t think there’s any better feeling than helping other people improve their lives,” he said. “When you take somebody who doesn’t have much, help them break through, when you help an institution get better … it’s just gratifying.”

RELATED:Mediacom: 20 Years of Growth | Rocco Commisso: From Calabria to a Cable Chairmanship | Standing Up for Small Cable’s Interests | Viewpoint: Timing Was Right for Rocco

MICHAEL POWELL, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NATIONAL CABLE & TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION

“Mediacom and Rocco are true leaders in our industry. Born out of risk-taking and entrepreneurism, Mediacom has grown into one of our fi nest multiple-system operators, providing to Americans in mid- and smaller-size markets an unsurpassed level of excellence in broadband, video, voice and business services. Rocco has been a passionate and stalwart advocate for cable, demanding that customers should come first, and that public policy should provide the incentives and the means for cable operators to innovate and serve their customers with high value offerings. On a personal note, there is no beer friend to have than Rocco, with his warm and gregarious demeanor and his undying support.”

TOM RUTLEDGE, CEO, CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS

“I have known Rocco for many years. He is a good friend and someone whose personal story would make for must see programming on many networks … not just CNBC. He is also the best thing besides money to come from the banking industry. Rocco has more belief in himself and the cable industry than anybody and his sheer will and guts created Mediacom, a great American success story.”

DAVID ZASLAV, PRESIDENT AND CEO, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

“Rocco is a true entrepreneur and has really lived the ‘American Dream’ after arriving in America as a kid. He worked hard to earn everything he has built at Mediacom. He has been a strong partner to me for the past two decades and one of the champions who has made this industry what it is today. He is a tough and respected operator with terrific financial acumen, a fighter who believes in his company, a company that 20 years later, he still runs with the passion he had the day he founded it.”

PHILIPPE DAUMAN, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CEO, VIACOM

“Rocco is one of the true entrepreneurs in the modern distribution landscape — tenacious, engaged and passionate about his system and the smaller markets it serves. He’s also a quintessential New Yorker, with a well-earned reputation for being a straight talker. Viacom and Mediacom have had great success working together to grow our businesses over the years, and I have a lot of respect for Rocco and his accomplishments.”

JERRY KENT, FORMER CEO, SUDDENLINK COMMUNCIATIONS

“Rocco is not only a friend, he is a hero to the industry. There has been no champion for midsized and smaller operators more relentless or passionate than him. I count myself fortunate to have served as a cable entrepreneur alongside him.”

PAT ESSER, PRESIDENT, COX COMMUNICATIONS

“Mediacom is a great example of the American Dream coming to life and the broadband cable industry it helped build will continue to create opportunities for future entrepreneurs and innovators. Congratulations to Rocco and his team.”

JOSH SAPAN, CEO, AMC NETWORKS

“Rocco embodies the best of what is entrepreneurial and original, qualities that have contributed to the fabric and success of cable TV. His iconoclastic nature and his path less well traveled embody the spirit that makes Mediacom a great company and makes cable a great industry.”

DENNIS WHARTON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT MEDIA RELATIONS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS

“Congrats to Rocco Commisso on two decades at the Mediacom helm. In exchange for modest carriage fees, broadcasters are proud to provide Mediacom customers with marquee primetime entertainment, the most popular televised sporting events, local news and emergency weather warnings that save lives. We wish Mediacom continued success.”

The Cable Center has elected seven industry leaders to be part of its Cable Hall Of Fame Class of 2016, the organization announced Thursday.

The new honorees include Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, MSNBC’s Morning Joe; Pat Esser, President, Cox Communications, Inc.; John D. Evans, Chairman and CEO, Evans Telecommunications Co.; Tom Rogers, President and CEO, TiVo Inc.; Robert J. Stanzione, Chairman and CEO, ARRIS, and John O. "Dubby" Wynne, Retired President and CEO, Landmark Communications, Inc.

The Cable Hall Of Fame induction ceremonies will take place next May during the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s (NCTA) Internet and Television Expo (INTX).

“I am thrilled to welcome these seven industry leaders into the Cable Hall of Fame,” said Michael Willner, president and CEO of Penthera Partners and the chairman of the 2016 Cable Hall Of Fame selection committee. “This year’s class members represent so many different aspects of our industry – from programming to operators, to technology and equipment. Each one of them has had a unique and immense impact on the growth of the cable industry and its influence on today’s society."

Added Larry Satkowiak, president and CEO of The Cable Center: “Congratulations to the Cable Hall of Fame Class of 2016. Each of these individuals have helped the cable industry change the world, and we are looking forward to honoring them at the Cable Hall of Fame celebration during INTX."

While acknowledging that Apple presents a “serious competitor to us,” Cox Communications president Pat Esser downplayed the threat posed by the new Apple TV, a new connected device that will sport a fresh interface and provide access to a wider array of apps, including more over-the-top video options.

“I think our product is the best value on the market and often customers go out and by the time they buy a number of over-the-top services they find out that [with] our multichannel video product they actually get more for the money they pay than they do if they go and try to pull it off of the Internet,” Esser said Wednesday during an interview on Countdown to the Closing Bell with Liz Claman on Fox Business.

But is he “dreading” the adoption of Apple TV?

“No, I’m not,” Esser said. “Apple is another competitor in a very crowded space. It’s another service that runs on our broadband network.”

And he said broadband presents opportunities for all comers, including Cox.

“Our broadband network, the network we spent billions of dollars building – companies like Apple can innovate on that platform, and companies like Cox can innovate on that platform,” Esser said.

Cox, which once tested a IP-powered video service targeted at cord-cutters, has been branching out recently with its own over-the-top products, including a subscription gaming service called flarePlay and, more recently, with the debut of a free, video streaming aggregation app for youngsters  called flareKids.

“The market is much more segmented today,” Esser said. “Consumers want their products on more platforms, and I’m going to help that happen.”

Esser noted, noted for example, that Cox has been making its linear TV lineup available on TiVo’s retail platform and, thanks to a recent, deeper integration, has begun to extend access to its VOD offering.  

Cox Communications followed up its recent launch of Gigabit services in Phoenix by announcing a limited rollout of 1-Gig in Virginia, starting with new homes at the Viridian Reserve at Hickory in Chesapeake.

Cox laid claim to being the first “national communications provider” in the state to commit to a residential Gigabit Internet strategy.

The Virginia announcement comes after Cox announced earlier this year that it will begin market-wide deployment of gigabit speeds by the end of 2016. Earlier this month, Cox began to roll out its new service, branded as “G1GABLAST,” in Phoenix, where the MSO will initially offer it to more than 5,000 homes there this year, and ramp that up to 150,000 homes in Phoenix by the end of 2015. Cox has also identified Las Vegas and Omaha among markets that will get access to Gigabit speeds in the early phases of deployment.

The number of homes that initiallyi will have access to the new offering in Virginia as well as anticipated pricing on the product weren’t immediately known. In Phoenix, Cox is selling 1-Gig for $99 per month as a stand-alone service, and $69.99 per month when bundled with other Cox services.

Update: Cox said 165 homes are planned for this new community, noting that the company expects to make Gigabit speeds available to residents at the Viridian development by late 2015. Cox hasn’t announced pricing for its 1-Gig offerings in the Virginia area, but said it will “price the service competitively.”

Cox is initially powering G1GABLAST using fiber-to-the-home technologies, but intends to use broaden access to 1-Gig speeds using DOCSIS 3.1 as that technology becomes available.

"We are excited about our road map to offer gigabit speeds to all of our residential customers," Pat Esser (pictured above), president of Cox, said in a statement about the Virginia rollout. "We are deploying new technology and infrastructure that will offer our customers the choice of gigabit speeds in all markets we serve."

"We are proud of our long-standing commitment to the Hampton Roads community," added Gary McCollum, senior vice president and region manager for Cox Virginia. "Cox is driven by our customer feedback and we will continue our investment to deliver what customers have come to expect from us: industry leading products and services and a superior customer experience."

Cox is also in the process of rolling out free upgrades that double the max downstream speeds of the MSO’s two most popular DOCSIS 3.0-powered broadband tiers, with Cox Preferred rising from 25 Mbps to 50 Mbps, and Premiere jumping from 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps. More than 70% of Cox’s residential broadband customers take one of those two broadband service tiers. Cox expects to complete those upgrades in all markets by the end of the year.