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Anne Sweeney, Co-chairman of media networks, The Walt Disney Co.; president, Disney-ABC Television Group was named the most powerful woman in entertainment on The Hollywood Reporter’s 16th annual Women in Entertainment: Power 100 special issue, honoring the top 100 women in the motion picture, television, music and other entertainment industries. The decision was based on Sweeney’s formidable achievements in 2007, having not only led the charge in implementing the company’s digital initiative, but in seeing that initiative translate into revenue, up 7% over last year. This year in particular, the Power 100 list - to be officially unveiled at The Hollywood Reporter’s invitation only Women in Entertainment: Power 100 breakfast today, Dec 4th at the Beverly Hills Hotel - reflects the immense business success of these women. When The Hollywood Reporter began publishing its annual Women in Entertainment issue 16 years ago, few were in positions of power in Hollywood. Paramount’s Sherry Lansing, who has appeared on the list many times herself, was the only female chairman at any studio. Flash forward to today, and the entertainment industry has female executives in every discipline, many at the level of president or higher. “Hollywood is all about franchises, and Women in Entertainment is one of The Hollywood Reporter’s most resonant, recurring features, one that allows us each year to reflect upon the achievements and the challenges facing women in this business. This year’s package of stories both celebrates the successes of the top tier of female players in town and highlights areas where inroads still need to be built upon,” said The Hollywood Reporter editor Elizabeth Guider. The Women in Entertainment Breakfast, presented by Lifetime Networks and in association with St. John Knits, will feature keynote speeches by “Hairspray” co-stars John Travolta and Queen Latifah. Academy Award®-winning actress Jodie Foster will receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, presented to a woman who has been a pioneer or leader in her field in the entertainment industry. Also being honored are the first-ever winners of the Lifetime Movie Network Student Filmmaker Competition, designed to encourage and discover the next generation of female filmmakers. The winning film, “Anna”, will air on the Lifetime Movie Network on Tuesday, December 11, and will also be shown on www.lmn.tv. Sweeney is the most notable shift on the Power 100 list this year, moving up from 2006’s number two spot. Of last year’s top ten, nine are making their second consecutive appearance in the group, with Shari Redstone the only newcomer, moving up from 13th in 2006. The group is rounded out by: Amy Pascal, Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group; Co-chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment (No 2), Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group (No 3), Stacey Snider, Co-chairman and CEO, DreamWorks SKG (No 4), Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks (No 5), Oprah Winfrey, Chairman, Harpo Inc.(No 6), Dana Walden, Chairman 20th Century Fox Television (No 7), Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment (No 8), Bonnie Hammer, President, USA Network and Sci Fi Channel (No 9), Shari Redstone, President, National Amusements, Inc.; vice chairman, CBS Corp., Viacom Inc. and Midway Games (No 10). The complete list can be found at www.hollywoodreporter.com. “In putting together this year’s Power 100 list, we had an embarrassment of riches to choose from,” says features editor Christy Grosz, who has worked on the annual issue for the last 10 years. “More women than ever before are reaching the highest positions of power in the industry, which makes narrowing down the list to just 100 very difficult.” The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 list draws from a diverse group of creative and executive talent. A team of editors and reporters perform field research and cull through hundreds of submissions to determine who makes the final list. While ability to greenlight content (or access to that person) remains the most important criterion, the team also examines each woman’s position in her company, how many people report to her and how much money she controls when determining the rankings. “Each of these women have overcome monumental market and internal mountains to achieve their ranking on our list," said publisher John Kilcullen. "We salute their resolve. We are impressed with their tenacity, passion and relentless focus on results.” As in the past, this year’s issue also ranked the Top 10 Actresses by salary, with Reese Witherspoon – last year’s No 2 - claiming the top spot from Nicole Kidman. America’s sweetheart is demanding big box-office bucks, and will soon return to her romantic comedy roots with New Line Cinema’s “Four Christmases” which she is also producing. Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz are No’s 2 and 3 respectively, while 2006’s No 1 earner Nicole Kidman slid to No 4 this year. Another feature included in the Women in Entertainment issue examines how, despite greater numbers in the boardroom, women working behind the scenes remain few and far between, most notably as directors. The piece specifically looks at those continuing a family tradition of working in the industry, making their directorial debuts in the independent film arena. Clint Eastwood’s daughter, Alison, helmed Warner Independent’s drama “Rails & Ties,” starring Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden; and actress Helen Hunt, whose father directed TV sitcoms, went behind the camera on ThinkFilm’s “Then She Found Me.” About The Hollywood Reporter Now in its 76th year, The Hollywood Reporter covers the business of the global entertainment industry via a network of media outlets. They include the print daily and weekly editions, the web site, various electronic-media offerings, the weekly TV show on Starz and high-profile events such as the annual Key Art Awards and Women in Entertainment. The Reporter’s team of reporters and news editors number more than 60, with representatives in most of the world's major cities. The first Hollywood-based daily trade newspaper covering the entertainment industry began publishing September 3, 1930. Its founder was William R. Wilkerson, who remained publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the paper for more than 30 years. The Hollywood Reporter is published by Nielsen Business Media, part of The Nielsen Company, a global information and media company
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