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The HRTS has elected 5 new members to join it's Board of Directors for the upcoming term. Joining the board beginning in September 2008 are: Bob DeBitetto, President and General Manager, A&E Networks and Bio Channel; Ted Harbert, President and CEO, Comcast Entertainment Group; Doug Herzog, President, MTV Networks Entertainment Group; Sean Perry, Partner and Head of Alternative Department, Endeavor Agency; and Matt Rice, Partner and Head of Television Department, UTA. The slate of new directors was named by the HRTS nominating committee and was approved by a vote of the entire HRTS membership in July.
 Bob DeBitetto
was named President and General Manager, A&E Network and Bio Channel in June 2008. In his role, DeBitetto manages a portfolio of cable networks including the flagship A&E Network, Bio Channel (formerly The Biography Channel) and the Crime & Investigation Network, where he oversees all creative and business matters including programming, marketing, P&L management, strategic planning, brand development, acquisitions, web content and public relations.
DeBitetto is responsible for content across all platforms for the flagship A&E Network, the Bio Channel and the Crime & Investigation Network and their brand extensions including; aetv.com, bio.com. and crimeandinvestigation.com. This past spring, DeBitetto spearheaded the development and implementation of a comprehensive multi-platform positioning of the A&E brand, which includes a new logo, new look and feel and the tagline ‘Real Life. Drama.’ DeBitetto also oversees the award-winning feature documentary unit, A&E IndieFilms.
DeBitetto has spearheaded the first scripted original series development at A&E in more than six years. He has overseen the development of several projects which emphasize the network’s commitment to developing original dramas that complement these platforms and put a premium on great character, storytelling and ‘A’ auspices. The first scripted drama series under his management, “The Cleaner,” starring Benjamin Bratt, premiered in July 2008, and doubled the network’s primetime average. The network is currently in production on the second scripted series “The Beast,” starring Patrick Swayze, which is scheduled to launch in early 2009.
DeBitetto also oversaw the development and production of the 2008 Emmy-nominee for Outstanding Miniseries, based on the Michael Crichton best-seller, “The Andromeda Strain,” executive produced by Ridley and Tony Scott and starring Benjamin Bratt, Ricky Schroder, Eric McCormack and Andre Braugher, which premiered on Memorial Day and became cable’s number one movie/mini-series of 2008.
Previously DeBitetto had served as Executive Vice President and General Manager, A&E Network since 2005. During his tenure, DeBitetto oversaw the development of the network-defining Real-Life series such as “Dog The Bounty Hunter,” “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” “Paranormal State” and “Intervention” as well as some the highest rated original movies in the network’s history including the Emmy and Writers Guild award-winning “Flight 93.”
 Ted Harbert
President & CEO, Comcast Entertainment Group
Longtime ABC Entertainment executive Ted Harbert was named President & CEO, E! Networks, the world’s largest producer and distributor of entertainment news and lifestyle-related programming, in July 2004. He recently was promoted to the new position of President & CEO of Comcast Entertainment Group, with oversight of the company’s West Coast properties, including E! Entertainment Television, Style Network and the male-targeting G4 network. Today, Harbert leads an executive team that oversees the ongoing growth and development of the company’s flagship network, E! Entertainment Television, available in 89 million homes; the rapidly growing lifestyle channel, The Style Network, in 43 million homes; and G4 TV, now in 59 million homes. He is also responsible for directing the activities of E! Online, the Web’s most successful entertainment destination, spearheading new business development, as well as managing the company’s international business operations that span some 120 countries reaching over 600 million viewers globally. In early 2006, Harbert launched a major companywide initiative named "E! Everywhere," dedicated to making E! content available anywhere and any time on all distribution platforms, from online, wireless and broadband (The Vine@E! Online) to satellite radio and video-on-demand. In early 2006, Harbert unveiled E! Everywhere - E!'s ambitious multi-platform content and distribution initiative designed to translate E!'s brand power into new forms of content delivery that service the target audience.
Prior to joining E!, Harbert served as a producer at 20th Century Fox Television. He previously was President of NBC Studios, with responsibility for the development and production of all NBC-owned programming for all dayparts, and was a television producer for DreamWorks SKG. Harbert spent the first 20 years of his career with ABC, ultimately serving as Chairman of ABC Entertainment. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Boston University, Harbert is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the USC School of Theater, Film and Television, a Board Member of the USC School of Cinema-Television's Television Advisory Council and the Executive Committee of Boston University's School of Communications. He also serves on the Board of Governors of UCLA's Center for Communication Policy and the Board of Directors for Friends of the L.A. Free Clinic, and is a past President of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society.
Harbert currently resides in Los Angeles. He has two children, Emily and William.
 Doug Herzog
Based in Los Angeles, Doug Herzog heads the MTV Networks Entertainment Group that is comprised of a multi-platform portfolio of brands featuring the COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV and TV Land cable channels as well as internet sites AtomFilms, AtomUploads, GameTrailers.com and Xfire. He reports to Judy McGrath, chairman and chief executive officer of MTV Networks.
Herzog's mandate with the Entertainment Group is to maximize the growth and brand strength of cable networks and internet sites across not just the traditional television landscape but, more importantly, across the ever-increasing digital universe and its varied new technologies and delivery systems, where a reliable brand and sought-after content are essential. Already sporting some of the most successful series to be offered across these platforms, the programming and network-branding guru has committed to an increase in production and development of original programming in an effort to increase television ratings, expand the groups' digital presence and bolster the strength of the brands, individually and collectively, raising old revenue streams and creating new ones.
This is the second go-around for Herzog, both within Viacom and overseeing COMEDY CENTRAL, where he was president from 1995-1998 and rejoined the network in the same capacity in May 2004. In February 2005, Herzog added the additional role of president, Spike TV with a focus on establishing the channel as the preeminent entertainment network for men using a combination of off-net series, theatrical motion pictures, high quality original programming and sports. Herzog added oversight of TV Land to his responsibilities in January 2006, with TV Land President, Larry W. Jones, reporting directly to him. He was named president of the newly formed Entertainment Group in December 2006.
 Sean Perry
Partner at Endeavor and heads the agency’s alternative television department, which includes syndication, reality television, international distribution and broadcast hosting. He joined Endeavor as an agent in 1999. His clients include World Wrestling Entertainment, Michael Davies (“Power of 10”), Pilgrim Films (“American Chopper”), Thom Beers (“Deadliest Catch”); Producers: Tiger Aspect (“Make Me a Supermodel”), Ricochet (“Super Nanny”), Optomen TV (“Kitchen Nightmares”), Monkey Kingdom (“Make My Day”) and more; as well as Talent: Jeff Probst, John Walsh, Gordon Ramsay, Randy Jackson, Danica Patrick, Steve Harvey, Bear Grylls, The Teutuls, and more. Perry also oversees Endeavor’s licensing department, which works with clients including Randy Jackson, Ashley Judd, Probst, Napoleon Curtis and more.
Prior to joining Endeavor, Perry was senior vice president of development for KingWorld for three years. Before that, he was an agent for more than eight years at the boutique agency Abrams-Rubaloff & Lawrence, where he started their reality packaging division. During his time there, he worked on such shows as “Judge Judy” and “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” and his clients included Dick Clark and the late Brandon Tartikoff.
Perry received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California Santa Barbara. He lives with his wife and three children in Sherman Oaks, CA.
 Matt Rice
Partner and Head of Television Department at leading Hollywood talent and literary agency UTA, where he oversees the agency’s scripted television operations. Rice joined UTA in 2002 from the Broder Webb Chervin Silverman agency, where he has been a television literary agent for six years. Prior to Broder, Rice was an agent at the Paradigm agency. He began his career at the Irv Schechter Agency after graduating with B.A. in History from U.C.L.A. He was raised in Fullerton, California.
Rice represents top writer, producer, director and talent clients including Carter Bays & Craig Thomas, executive producers and creators of CBS' HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER; Mike Schur, writer-producer on NBC’s comedy THE OFFICE; Matt Selman, executive producer on THE SIMPSONS; Alec Berg & Jeff Schaffer, executive producers on CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM; SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE cast members Will Forte, Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig; Jason Bateman and his production company F & A prods; writer-producer-actor Mike White; director Curtis Hanson and his production company Deuce Three Productions; Pam Brady, writer of HAMLET 2; writer Scott Rosenbaum, executive producer of NBC’s CHUCK; writer Dan Mazer, executive producer of HBO's DA ALI G SHOW; writer Brad Copeland, two-time Emmy nominee for ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT and writer of WILD HOGS; writers Neil Goldman & Garrett Donovan, executive producers on NBC's SCRUBS; Collegehumor.com; and Mike Henry, co-creator and star of the new FBC animated series CLEVELAND. He is married and resides in Los Angeles.
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