The most powerful woman in entertainment?
No, not Oprah Winfrey. She’s No. 7, according to the Hollywood Reporter’s 15th annual ranking, published Tuesday.
The trade paper’s top spot is filled this year by Amy Pascal, who heads Sony’s film division and serves as co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment. She unseats Disney’s Anne Sweeney, who held the top spot for two years. Sweeney, president of Disney-ABC Television Group and co-chair of media networks for the Walt Disney Co., ranked second this year.
Judy McGrath, MTV Networks chairman and chief executive, was No. 3 on the Women in Entertainment Power 100 list. She was followed by Paramount Pictures President Gail Berman and CBS Paramount Network Television Group President Nancy Tellem.
Rounding out the top 10 were Stacey Snider, co-chairman and CEO of DreamWorks SKG; Winfrey, chairman of Harpo Inc.; Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment; Dana Walden, president of 20th Century Fox Television; and Bonnie Hammer, president of USA Network and Sci Fi Channel.
The list was compiled by a committee of Hollywood Reporter editors.
The Power 100 were celebrated at a breakfast at the Beverly Hills Hotel Tuesday.
Meryl Streep was honored at the event, with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, named for the former Paramount Pictures chief executive, who was the inaugural recipient in 2004.
The self-effacing actress told the gathering that she was surprised to be chosen for a leadership award.
“I’m not the leader of anything or anybody,” said Streep, 57. “I can’t even get people to put their dishes in the dishwasher.”