News Corp. executives are famous for their swagger and bravado. But not Tony Vinciquerra.
"You won't get any witty banter out of me," he said matter-of-factly.
News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch this month put Vinciquerra in charge of all the company's entertainment networks, including Fox Broadcasting and 30 cable channels, such as FX, Fox Sports and National Geographic. Known for keeping a low profile, the onetime television ad salesman won the nod after proving himself a shrewd deal maker.
Conservative pundits on Fox News project News Corp.'s pugnacious image, and Murdoch's tabloids the populist spirit animating its enterprise, but television is the financial heart of the company. Vinciquerra's appointment, triggered by the upcoming departure of Chief Operating Officer Peter Chernin, makes him the point person for a big chunk of News Corp.'s profit -- which is under pressure from a recession walloping the media giant's advertising-reliant business.
Joining the company seven years ago -- a newcomer by News Corp. standards -- Vinciquerra was quickly pushed by Chernin into bigger roles handling contentious negotiations with cable and satellite operators. His unflappable demeanor also made him a favorite to face Wall Street analysts, a job entrusted to few.
At the same time, however, Vinciquerra has been the enforcer of cost cuts, which have included the departure of numerous executives. Now the hardest is to come: He must grapple with a shifting business model for network television and taming the Internet, where users expect to get content free of charge.
News Corp. veterans said that some people might have underestimated Vinciquerra, 54, because he doesn't come across as particularly ambitious. "In a world of people who are busy positioning themselves and angling for the next thing, Tony is a guy who puts his head down and does the work," Chernin said.
Vinciquerra downplays his role. "I try not to be the smartest person in the room," he said. "I listen to the smart people in the room."
And there are some smart people in the room. Vinciquerra will now report directly to Murdoch, who, at 78, is assuming day-to-day control of operations as Chernin steps out of the picture.
Murdoch, who has little patience for the outsized egos of Hollywood, credited Vinciquerra for his role in making cable television the most profitable unit of News Corp. "Tony has been instrumental in growing our cable businesses both domestically and internationally, and has been responsible for negotiating many of our landmark carriage and broadcast deals," he said in a memo announcing the promotion.
