The Cable Center revealed on Wednesday that the members of its Cable Hall of Fame Class of 2017 includes HBO’s influential and Emmy-grabbing “The Sopranos,” which marks the first time a series has garnered the honor. (Place your favorite Bada Bing reference here.) The Center reports the six following honorees were picked based on their leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation in media:
- Steve Burke, CEO, NBCUniversal
- Jill Campbell, EVP and COO, Cox
- Michael T. Fries, CEO, Liberty Global
- Ken Lowe, chairman, president and CEO, Scripps Networks Interactive
- “The Sopranos,” HBO drama series; David Chase, creator
- David Zaslav, president and CEO, Discovery Communications
Since 2010, the Cable Center has held the Cable Hall of Fame ceremony at the annual Cable Show, which became INTX. But since that conference has been “sunset,” the inductions will take place during the 20th annual Cable Hall of Fame celebration set for April 26, 2017, in Washington, D.C.
“This year’s Cable Hall of Fame honorees are truly the best of the best,” Michael Willner, president and CEO of Penthera Partners and chairman of the Cable Center’s board, says. “They are leaders of some of the most influential companies in the world, and have shaped the industry’s operations, programming, and our society. We are thrilled to induct our first series into the Cable Hall of Fame as well. ‘The Sopranos’ was the seminal series that proved television was more than the broadcasting networks alone, and we are excited to pay tribute to the impact it had on the growth and success of our industry.”
Since 1998, 121 men and women have been inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame. More info is available here.
