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The Cable Center’s Mavericks Lecture Series continued full steam ahead on October 2nd: Tony Fox of Comedy Central engaged students at USC with his story of going from class clown as a kid to being a top executive for the “class clown of the TV industry.”
Fox, who serves as Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications for Comedy Central, was recently made responsible for Spike TV as well. Fox has been with Comedy Central for nearly 16 years, and is the networks' longest-serving employee. He also spent 10 years at HBO, beginning his career in the mailroom and working his way up to director of sports PR.
PR: Free and Effective
Fox went on to discuss the effectiveness of PR vs. marketing. PR, he explained, is basically free: “What does it cost to make a phone call these days?” he joked. For example, Comedy Central has been covered on 60 Minutes eight times in 10 years— with the average length of story at 12 minutes, that comes down to $19.2 million in equivalent advertising value. That’s the value, Fox explained, of third party endorsement – an independent and trusted voice endorsing a product carries greater credibility than telling people how great your product is.
Bringing Students into the Fold
He wrapped up the main lecture by strongly encouraging students to consider careers in the cable industry. “It’s a fabulous industry with an enormous diversity of jobs,” he said, citing cable’s growth from a small industry of co-axial cable and HBO to a multi-billion dollar industry focused on advanced technology and services, including broadband, telephony, and video on demand. He added that he’s a big proponent of internships, and that Comedy Central often hires their best interns.
After the lecture, Fox was very pleased with the results and his interactions with the students. “They had a lot of questions about how I got into the business,” he said. “They found out how much fun I have at my job. Working in a professional world doesn’t have to be a drag.”
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Tony Fox
Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Comedy Central
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION »
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