THR's Women in Entertainment 2012: Power 100

The reigning queen of cable, Hammer, 62, now oversees more than 2,000 employees and a portfolio -- with 2012 revenue of $4 billion and profits of $2 billion, both up 5 percent compared with 2011 -- that includes USA, Syfy, G4, E! and Universal Cable Productions and remains the biggest contributor to NBCUniversal's bottom line. Her crown jewel, USA, seen in 143 countries, will round out 2012 as the most-watched cable network for a seventh straight year, and Syfy -- which is prepping for the spring launch of Defiance, a $100 million gamble on the convergence of TV and video games -- is on track for its most-watched year to date. And fresh off a 2012 rebranding of E!, NBCU has a G4 makeover on tap for 2013.

Proudest moment this year: My son, who is a government major and film minor at Dartmouth, sent me his first short script, and it was laugh-out-loud hysterical.

When I leave work each day, I can't wait to: Apologies to my husband, but … walk in the door and have my 75-pound golden retriever kiss my face and follow me around from that moment until I go to bed.

Favorite way to unwind on the weekend: I'm an exercise junkie. I've been doing something called BodyQuest, which is somewhere between Lotte Berk and pilates.

My indulgence: Great wine shared with great friends.

Can't get through my workday without: Texting my kids. Every now and again, I get a reply.

What I'd tell my 22-year-old self about working in Hollywood: "They speak a different language in Hollywood. Yes doesn't always mean yes, and no rarely means no."

Worst advice I've ever gotten: I was in Boston working in broadcast at an ABC affiliate, and a senior person in the company asked me: "Why would you go into cable? It's a dead end."

When my relatives are confused about what I do, I tell them: I'm one part shrink, one part number-cruncher and two parts cheerleader.

Click here to read THR's complete Women in Entertainment list.