The most powerful woman in entertainment works for The Mouse.
Anne Sweeney, president of Disney-ABC Television and co-chairman of Disney Media networks has been named the most powerful woman in the entertainment industry in 2007 by the Hollywood Reporter.
The Hollywood Reporter’s 16th annual “Women in Entertainment: Power 100” special issue includes women in the motion picture, television and music industries as well as other entertainment industries. Anne Sweeney was number two on the 2006 list. Previously, Sweeney was named one of Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” in 2006 as well as one of Forbes’ “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” in 2007. Other accolades received throughout her entertainment career are too numerous to mention.
You may be wondering what such a power player does to get on the list. Sweeney oversees the ABC Television Network and the Disney-ABC Television Group which consists of Disney Channel Worldwide, Playhouse Disney Channels, Toon Disney Channels, Jetix/GXT Channels, Radio Disney and the Walt Disney Television Animation studio. She also manages ABC Family, SOAPnet, Lifetime Entertainment Services and A&E Television Network.
In 2007, Sweeney earned her top placement by not only leading Disney/ABC’s implementation of their digital initiative, but she also managed to get revenue up by seven percent in the past year. She has been in her position since 2004. During her tenure, she has seen Disney-ABC Television Group’s primetime audience grow nine percent among Adults 18-49.
Sweeney joined The Walt Disney Company in early 1996 as president of Disney Channel and executive vice president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks. Before that she was chairman and CEO of FX Networks. Before joining Fox, she spent 12 years at Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite.
If you’re wondering how she got her start, Sweeney started her career by earning a BA degree from The College of New Rochelle and followed that with an Ed. M. degree from Harvard University.
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