Anne Sweeney Biography

Anne Marie Sweeney (born November 4, 1957) is the Co-Chair of Disney Media

Sweeney was born in Kingston, New York. She graduated with a B.A. degree from the College of New Rochelle and earned an Ed.M. degree from Harvard University.

Nickelodeon and Fox

Previously she was chairman and CEO of FX Networks, Inc., since 1993. During her tenure, she presided over the launch of two basic cable networks, FX, an entertainment network representing the most successful basic cable launch in history, and FXM: Movies from Fox, Hollywood's first studio-based movie network.

Before joining Fox, 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.

The Walt Disney Company

Named the "Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment" by The Hollywood Reporter, one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" by Fortune, and one of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women by Forbes, Sweeney serves as co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president, Disney-ABC Television Group.

Sweeney joined The Walt Disney Company in February 1996 as president of ABC and executive vice president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks. In this role, Sweeney is responsible for Disney's entertainment and news television properties globally. These include the ABC Television Network, which encompasses ABC Entertainment, ABC Kids, ABC Daytime, ABC Sports and ABC News; ABC Studios, which is the television production division of the Disney-ABC Television Group; and Disney ABC Cable Networks Group, comprising The Disney Channel Worldwide"?which has grown to 24 wholly owned international channels"?Toon Disney, SOAPnet, ABC Family and Jetix. She oversees Walt Disney Television Animation, Buena Vista Worldwide Television and Walt Disney Television International, and has responsibility for managing Disney's equity interests in Lifetime Entertainment Services, and A&E Television Networks.

From October 2000 to April 2004, Sweeney served as president of ABC Cable Networks Group and The Disney Channel Worldwide. Continuing with the strategy that was begun by her predecessor John F. Cooke, The Disney Channel more than quintupled its subscriber base with its mix of original series and movies and acquired programming. It is now available on basic cable in more than 87 million homes in the United States. Critics have disapproved of the marketing strategy made by Sweeney, which makes the programs on Disney Channel geared mainly towards pre-teen and teenage girls. Disney Channel executives hoped to become more "boy friendly" in 2010; especially when Good Luck Charlie premiered and when Aaron Stone and Zeke and Luther joined the main program line-up.

Sweeney also oversaw the successful launch of the 24-hour animation channel Toon Disney in April 1998, and built it to its current reach of more than 52 million homes in the United States. Less than two years later, in January 2000, she oversaw the launch of SOAPnet, the 24-hour soap opera network now seen in more than 61.4 million homes.

Awards and honors

She was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable "Hall of Fame" in 2005, and was a recipient of the 2004 Muse Award from New York Women in Film & Television. Sweeney has been honored repeatedly by Women in Cable & Telecommunications"?as Executive of the Year in 1994, Woman of the Year in 1997, and in 1998 as the recipient of the Advocate Leader Award from WICT's Southern California chapter. In 1995 she received the prestigious STAR Award from American Women in Radio and Television. She was inducted into the American Advertising Federation's Advertising Hall of Achievement in 1996. In 2002, she was awarded the Women in Film [[Women_in_Film_Crystal_+_Lucy_Awards#THE_LUCY_AWARD|Lucy Award]] in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. She has also been awarded the Cable Television Public Affairs Association's President's Award.

Personal life

Active in organizations both within and outside the cable industry, Sweeney is a board member of A&E Television Group, the Museum of Television & Radio, Special Olympics and an honorary chair of Cable Positive.

Sweeney is married to Philip Miller and they have children Christopher and Rosemary. Christopher is on the autism spectrum.