Betty Cohen
Betty Susan Cohen (born July 27, 1956) is an American businesswoman and media executive. She is best known as the founder[1] and original president of Cartoon Network from 1992 to 2001, the CEO of Lifetime Entertainment Services from 2005 to 2007, the founder and president of Betty Cohen Media Consulting since 2008, and the founder and CEO of Hearts & Minds Media since 2019.
Betty Cohen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Betty Susan Cohen July 27, 1956 Racine, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | Stanford University |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman, media executive |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Known for | Founder and first president of Cartoon Network (1992–2001) |
Early life
Cohen grew up in Racine, Wisconsin.[2] She was involved in theater in high school and wrote her senior paper on the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop).[2] She attended Stanford University from 1973 to 1977,[3] where she majored in communications.[2]
Career
Public Media Center
In 1977, Cohen began her career as a production manager for Public Media Center, an ad agency. She had been tasked with producing public service announcements, and soon came to realize that the "larger picture" was her strength rather than smaller details. Cohen said , "I was the person who had the perspective to see where the project should head, rather than writing the first draft."[1]
Cable Health Network
In 1982, Cohen joined the Cable Health Network as their first manager of marketing.[1]
Nickelodeon
From 1984 to 1988, Cohen was director of on-air promotion and interstitial programming for Nickelodeon. Her marketing at this time yielded the Nick at Nite block, dubbed "the Network for the TV Generation."[1]
Turner Broadcasting System
In 1988, Cohen joined Turner Broadcasting System, where she was appointed as TNT's general manager and director of marketing.[1] She was promoted to senior vice president of TNT and tasked her with creating a channel to house Ted Turner's recently-purchased, extensive animation library. Cohen thus founded Cartoon Network in 1992[1] and was its president until 2001. Under her leadership, network brands such as Toonami, Boomerang, the Cartoon Cartoons, Cartoon Cartoon Fridays, and Cartoon Orbit were introduced, as well as original series such as Space Ghost Coast to Coast, What a Cartoon!, Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, The Powerpuff Girls, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. Dexter's Laboratory, in particular, was one of her favorite animated shows.[4] The network became a global phenomenon during her tenure, with asset value of nearly $3 billion.[5]
Cohen stepped down from her post on June 18, 2001, due to creative disagreements with Jamie Kellner, then-head of Turner Broadcasting;[6] she also stated, "I was afraid I would die the queen of cartoons."[1] She was succeeded at CN by Jim Samples. Cohen remained with parent company AOL-Time Warner until September 2002, to develop multiplatform services aimed at adolescents and young adults.[7]
Lifetime
From 2005[2] to 2007, Cohen returned to Lifetime Entertainment Services and served as their CEO and president.[8] Cohen helped the network attract a younger audience.[5]
Accolades
Cohen was ranked as one of Fortune's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2000.[3] She was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and received the Muse Award from NY Women in Film and TV.[5]
Personal life
Cohen currently resides in New York City, New York.[3]
References
- "Betty Cohen". SheMadeIt.com. The Paley Center for Media. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-10-17.
- Campbell, Rachel (April 17, 2005). "Racine native named CEO of Lifetime TV". Journal Times. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- Betty Cohen on LinkedIn
- Furman, Phyllis (November 8, 1999). "Cartoon Network on Rise Popular Shows Put Nick in Rival's Edge". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
- "Bio". Betty Cohen.
- Reporter, a Wall Street Journal Staff (June 18, 2001). "Head of Cartoon Network Cohen To Quit Post, Will Stay at AOL". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.
- April 2005, Linda Moss 04 (4 April 2005). "Betty Cohen In as Lifetime CEO". Multichannel News.
- "Betty Cohen President, Betty Cohen Media Consulting". Springboard Enterprises. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2015-10-17.
- "Who We Are". Hearts & Minds.