Premiere PROGRAMMERS.

Cable's top programmers take a back seat to no one anymore. With plenty of awards and solid ratings, cable's best programmers are ushering in a new era in multichannel television.

Not long ago, it was difficult to find one cable TV show that could be considered popular. Not cult popular, but a show embraced by TV viewers in a way that generates significant ratings, Emmys, critical acclaim and water cooler buzz. Now cable TV is wallpapered with hits, ranging from ESPN's SportsCenter to HBO's The Sopranos.

Thanks to a slew of such shows, and the TV critics who write about them, cable continues to nibble away at the broadcasters' audience share. "My friends are always asking me about whether I saw this program or that one on VH1, The History Channel, A&E, HGTV or E!," says Ed Martin, programming editor for The Myers Report, a New York-based media research shop. "Viewers are finding more new shows on cable, especially during the summer, and then they stick with them into the fall."

So who are the best programmers in cable? In developing Cable World's roundup of top programmers, we've decided to narrow the list to original productions. Say all you want about off-network fare, but in the end it is hard to consider it anything more than cleverly-packaged reruns.

"It's not just about originals," says The Yankee Group senior analyst Michael Goodman. "Anybody can create a show. It's all about creating original, compelling content that people want to see."

At the same time, we took into consideration a programmer's ability to consistently deliver shows that set their network apart from the cable/broadcast milieu. Increasingly such shows are available on the cable dial.

Programming that reflects a network's brand position is another key component. In a sea of 150 (or more) channels, it's critical for networks to fortify their identities.

"Since the early '90s, basic cable networks like TNT and others have been trying to build their brand with movies," observes Tim Brooks, SVP-research at Lifetime Television. "Now, more and more cable networks are launching series that target viewing segments while trying to impart certain network qualifies. This is very important for branding purposes. People may see an original film but not come back for three months. With series, networks can develop viewing habits and then promote other programming."

Repeat viewing translates into ratings. The basic programmers on Cable World's list rank among the top Nielsen performers. On the premium side, repeat viewing speaks first to acquisition and then retention. If the programming is not compelling, consumers are quick to churn out of a pay service.

Original productions often afford creative control, an important criteria in a multiplexed, video-on-demand, Internet and broadband world. Quality content is needed to fill those pipes.

"The percentage of original productions is rising faster than the cost of programming overall because cable networks want to control the rights so they can leverage the shows across various platforms," says Derek Bain, analyst at Paul Kagan Associates. "Particularly in the digital age, it is …