HRTS eNews - 06/17/2007 (Plain Text Version)
In this issue:
News & Announcements
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HRTS "State of the Industry" Luncheon Rescheduled to July 17th
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HRTS Kids Day set for August 15th!
Features
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From The Executive Director
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Member Profile: Dick Askin
Member News
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Corporate Member: Starz Media
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Jay Bernstein
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Corporate Member: Hallmark Channel
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Welcome new HRTS Members
JHRTS
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JHRTS News
About The HRTS
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Officers, Board of Directors, Staff
Corporate Member: Hallmark Channel
New HRTS corporate member Hallmark Channel (and Hallmark Movie Channel) selected ten of its top execs for HRTS membership. They are -
Henry S. Schleiff, President/CEO, Crown Media Holdings, Inc. Schleiff oversees the networks’ divisions, including programming, distribution, advertising sales, marketing, communications, finance, legal and new media applications. He was most recently the Chairman/CEO of Court TV Network, which he helped re-launch. Under Schleiff’s stewardship, Court TV grew from 30 million subscribers to more than 85 million subscribers. Prior, Schleiff was EVP for Studios USA. Before that, from 1992-1996, Schleiff was Executive Producer for Viacom International Inc. From 1987 to 1992, he was SVP of Viacom International Inc. and Chairman and CEO of Viacom’s Broadcast and Entertainment Groups. Schleiff is an officer on many non-profit corporation boards including the IRTS, our sister organization in New York.
David Kenin, EVP, Programming for Crown Media Holdings, Inc., owner and operator of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. Kenin has oversight responsibilities for development, acquisitions, program administration, scheduling, creative services and all corporate communications and program publicity initiatives for the networks. Prior, Kenin headed Los Angeles-based Kenin Partners where he represented clients including Viacom, Microsoft and Lucent Technologies. Prior to that, he served as President of CBS Sports and EVP at USA Networks where he is credited as an architect of the SCI FI Channel. Before that, he was station manager for Scripps-Howard’s Kansas City station, KSHB-TV.
Laura Masse, EVP, Marketing for Crown Media Holdings, Inc., owner and operator of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. Masse oversees all facets of brand-building and marketing for the channels. In addition, Masse is the key liaison with Hallmark Cards in developing synergistic opportunities with its other brand extensions, including Hallmark Magazine, Hallmark Flowers and the nearly 4,000 Hallmark Gold Crown® stores. Before joining Hallmark Channel, Masse was VP, Mkt for American Movie Classics (AMC). Prior, she was Div Dir of Mkt for Discovery Channel Online, where she supervised the site's consumer positioning and advertising. Masse also held Account Management positions at Earle Palmer Brown and Muller Jordan Weiss advertising agencies in New York, where her clients included The Learning Channel (TLC), The Walt Disney Company, Chase Manhattan Bank and Conrad International Hotels.
Barbara Fisher, SVP, Original Programming. In addition to her responsibilities as SVP, Fisher assists in expanding the programming department and creating new platforms for program distribution. Prior to Hallmark, she was EVP, Entertainment, at Lifetime Entertainment Services. Under Fisher’s commitment to original programming, Lifetime produced “Homeless to Harvard,” “Missing,” “Wildcard,” several reality series, as well as the continuation of the top-rated shows “The Division” and “Strong Medicine.” Fisher also expanded the on-air components of the Network’s advocacy campaigns addressing a range of issues such as breast cancer, violence against women and self-esteem. Prior to Lifetime, she was President of Universal Studios Network Programming and was responsible for series such as “Just Shoot Me” and “The Steve Harvey Show.
Elizabeth Yost, VP, Development, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. Yost oversees the development and production of all network original programming, including movies, mini-series, specials and series. Yost also oversees all scripting and casting of the net’s productions.
Previously, Yost was responsible for all of Hallmark Channel’s original programming where she launched its first original series as well as its Mystery Movie franchises. Her projects have attracted such stars as Doris Roberts, Shelley Long, Shirley Jones, Patrick Duffy, Stacy Keach, Richard Chamberlain and Steve Guttenberg. Prior, she served as exec producer for EMY Entertainment and as an assoc producer for Hearst Ent. Before that, as Manager, TV Development at Robert Greenwald Productions.
Jess Aguirre, SVP, Research. Aguirre oversees all TV research activities for the Channels, including audience measurement, advertising research, marketing research and brand analysis. He also develops support materials and presentations for the annual Upfronts. Prior, he was Director of Network TV Research for Warner Bros. TV Prods from 1998-2000, where he assisted with the development, scheduling and promotion of primetime programs, including “The West Wing,” “Gilmore Girls,” “ER” and “Friends.” Previously, Aguirre was Assoc Dir, Primetime Research at the ABC TV Network.
Nancy Carr, VP, Corporate Communications. Carr heads the strategic development and implementation of all corporate communications activities. Prior, she was VP, Communications for CBS where she led publicity campaigns including “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “Without a Trace,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” and hundreds of movies and mini-series including “Hitler,” “Joan of Arc,” “Jesus” and the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. She also oversaw specials, including “The Grammy Awards,” “The Emmy Awards,” “The Tony Awards” and “CBS at 75.” Carr organizes the talent portion of the annual Upfronts, TCA Press Tours, screenings and the NAACP Image Awards receptions, oversees awards campaigns and handles PR for the corporate diversity programs including the CBS Diversity Institute. Before CBS she served as Senior Manager of Publicity at Fox Broadcasting Company.
Marvin Dorson, SVP, Creative Services, leads the team responsible for all On-Air Promotion for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. His team works closely with Hallmark Channel’s Sponsorship Solutions Unit to provide branded entertainment to advertisers through unique sponsorship opportunities, including entitled original movies and behind-the-scenes vignettes. The team also supports the network’s other departments to create programming platforms for affiliates, sponsors, press and business-to-business opportunities, including the National Cable & Telecommunications Assoc Nat’l. Show, and the TCA. Prior, Dorson was the creative director for Flix and Showtime FamilyZone networks.
Pam Slay, SVP, Network Program Publicity, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. In addition to managing communications for Hallmark Channels, Slay creates and maintains key media relationships that support program scheduling and administration. She also oversees talent relations for Hallmark Channels. Previously, she served as VP of Network Program Publicity. Prior to Hallmark, Slay was Exec Dir of International Marketing at Warner Bros. where she served as Executive Director, Publicity. Slay also was the head of publicity for Buena Vista International implementing press strategies for a bold slate of Disney programming in a territory which consisted of the world, minus the U.S.
Michelle Vicary, SVP, Acquisitions and Scheduling, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel. Vicary oversees scheduling, acquisitions and program planning. She also negotiates acquisition deals, collaborates with original programming, and oversees inventory needs. In addition, she manages content for alt program platforms, including video-on-demand and HD. Prior to Hallmark, Vicary was VP, Marketing for Evening Star Music Group where she spearheaded the label’s launch and created mkt and distribution arms for its roster of artists. Her scheduling career began as Manager of Scheduling and On-Air Promo for MGM TV Networks, where she created the monthly network schedule, conducted long-term movie and series planning and managed all on-air promotions.
Hallmark Channel, owned and operated by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., is a 24-hour basic cable network that provides a diverse slate of high-quality entertainment programming to a national audience of 83 million subscribers. The top tier program service is distributed through more than 5,300 cable systems and communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Hallmark Channel consistently ranks among the top 10 ad-supported cable networks in Prime Time and Total Day household ratings and is the nation’s leading network in providing quality family programming. Crown Media also operates a second 24-hour linear channel, Hallmark Movie Channel. For more information, please visit www.hallmarkchannelpress.com.