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Wednesday, Nov 11, 2009ABC/Disney top exec Anne Sweeney to deliver graduation keynote address
Posted by dgore
ABC/Disney top executive Anne Sweeney will address graduates at commencement ceremonies for the Graziadio School of Business and Management on Saturday, December 5, 2009. Pepperdine University will award an honorary degree.
Ms. Sweeney is network television’s most senior woman executive and the 16th most powerful woman in business, according to Fortune. She serves as co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group, where she is responsible for The Walt Disney Company’s entertainment and news television properties globally. No stranger to Pepperdine’s Graziadio School, Sweeney was a guest speaker for the Dean’s Executive Leadership Series in the 2005-2006 season.
Graduation starts at 10:30 a.m. at Pepperdine University’s Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, CA.
Ms. Sweeney oversees the ABC Television Network, which provides entertainment, news and kids programming to viewers via ABC series, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Playhouse Disney, Toon Disney, Disney Cinemagic, Hungama, GXT, Jetix, ABC Family, SOAPnet and Radio Disney brands as well as Disney’s publishing imprint, Hyperion, and more than 200 affiliated stations across the U.S. in addition to other technological platforms. Previously, she served as president of ABC Cable Networks Group and Disney Channels Worldwide.
Under her leadership, audiences have come to know such hit TV series as “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Greek.” and “Dancing with the Stars,” as well as franchises with worldwide appeal including “Hannah Montana” and the CG animated “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”.
Ms. Sweeney joined The Walt Disney Company in February 1996 as president of Disney Channel and executive vice president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks. Previously she was chairman and CEO of FX Networks, Inc., since 1993. During her tenure there, she presided over the launch of two basic cable networks, entertainment-focused FX and FXM: Movies from Fox, Hollywood’s first studio-based movie network.
Before joining Fox, Ms. Sweeney spent 12 years at Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite in various executive positions, most recently as senior vice president of Program Enterprises. Among many accomplishments, she oversaw Nickelodeon’s international expansion, including launching the channel in the United Kingdom, resulting in a joint venture with British Sky Broadcasting.
Active in organizations both within and outside the television industry, Ms. Sweeney is a board member of Lifetime Television, the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of TV & Radio), the American Film Institute, the Special Olympics and an honorary chair of Cable Positive.
Ms. Sweeney earned a BA degree from The College of New Rochelle and an Ed. M. degree from Harvard University.
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