From his humble beginnings as an entry-level intern for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) in 1977. Jeff Sagansky quickly rose through the ranks of the entertainment industry to hold some of the most powerful executive positions in television and film during the latter part of the 20th century and into the 21st. From director of dramatic development at NBC to president of production at TriStar, from president of production at the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) to executive copresident of Sony Pictures Entertainment, he progressed from programming boy genius to well-established chief executive officer. As one reviews his professional history, it is clear that Sagan­ sky has been a major player in the business of American popular culture.

Shunning the more conventional vocational paths of his fellow Harvard Business School alumnae, Sagan­ sky began his career at NBC in 1977 and soon was working with industry veterans such as Stephen Can­ nell (who was producing The Rockford Files at the time). By 1978, he had been promoted to manager of film programs and in 1979 was named director of dra­ matic development. When Fred Silverman arrived at NBC in 1978, however, Sagansky became concerned about his role at the network, and he eventually left to become vice president of development for a television production firm, the David Gerber Company. After three years at this position, Sagansky returned to NBC after Silverman was fired and began to work closely with the very successful new NBC entertainment chief Grant Tinker. From 1982 to 1985 as senior vice presi­ dent in charge of series programming, Sagansky was part of team that developed tremendously popular programs such as Family Ttes (1982-89), Cheers (1982-93), The Cosby Show (1984-92), Miami Vtce (1984-89), and Highway to Heaven (1984-89), pro­ grams that propelled the network to the top of the rat­ ings.

Despite his success at NBC, Sagansky was too ambitious to stay at the network for too long, and he left television for the motion picture business becoming the president of production at TriStar Pictures from 1985 to 1989. Working closely with longtime producer Ray Stark, Sagansky's tenure at TriStar was inauspicious at best, and while there he oversaw the produc­tion of films such as About last Night (1986), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Steel Magnolias (1989), Glory  (1989),and  Look Who’s Talking (1989). Al­though he was promoted to president of TriStar pictures in 1989, when the Sony Corporation purchased TriStar and Columbia Pictures and placed Jon Peters and Peter Guber at the helm, Sagansky may have sensed that his job was in jeopardy. Therefore, it was no surprise when he leapt at the opportunity to return to his television roots soon after this change in man­ agement.

In 1990, Sagansky became the president of CBS Entertainment and working together with broadcast president Howard Stringer, he oversaw a quick ratings turnaround at CBS as the network moved from third place to first place during the first 18 months of his tenure. With shows such as Northern Exposure (1990-95), Picket Fences (1992-96), The Nanny (1993-99), Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-98), Touched by an Angel (1994-2003), and Chicago Hope ( 1994-2000), CBS gained audience share but continued to attract an older and therefore less attractive (to advertisers) demographic.

Continuing his pattern of relatively brief periods of employment at any one company, Sagansky left CBS in 1994 to return to the Sony Corporation of America as executive vice president, working there until 1998. While at Sony, he was deeply involved in the com­ pany's purchase of the Spanish-language entertain­ ment company Telemundo as well as the merger of Sony Theatres with Cineplex Odeon Theatres and the launch of the PlayStation video game platform. Once again, however, new opportunities beckoned, and in 1998 he took the position of president and chief executive officer of Paxson Communications and oversaw the launch of the family-friendly PAX channel in 1998. During his time with the company, the channel's net­ work distribution grew from 60 to 90 percent of Amer­ ican households, but PAX was never able to develop a genuine hit show. Sagansky's position at Paxson Communications changed in 2002, when he was named vice chairman of the company's board of directors and relinquished his role as president and chief executive officer. He stayed at Paxson for one more year before abruptly resigning from his position in August 2003. As of January 1, 2004, Sagansky was currently explor­ ing other opportunities in the entertainment industry.