General Manager (GM) TV Stations Group - California, USA based English and Spanish Language Broadcasting
Based
San Diego, CA, USA English and Spanish Language Broadcasting Affiliates
CBS / ABC / Groupo Salinas Affiliate Stations
Filcro Media Staffing with Tony Filson (FMS-TF) reporting to the client’s Executive Search Committee (ESC) comprised of the Chief Financial Officer, President and Chairman of the Board
Client
Diversified multinational with English and Hispanic broadcasting assets, real estate, banking, food services, industrial and transportation holdings in US, EU & LATAM markets.
The company is known for acquiring entities in diverse business sectors and making them “best in class” by installing new management and practices to optimize financial return through enhanced operational revenue and subsequently seeking M&A in line with small and mid-cap company growth objectives in related businesses.
Search
GM for broadcast holdings located in Southern California as CBS / ABC / Grupo Salinas. Officer in Charge of Search - Tony Filson of Filcro Media Staffing
Client Situation
The new owners had recently acquired multiple English and Spanish TV broadcast assets located in Southern California with multinational market reach. The assignment was to recruit and attract a new TV station group GM to manage the broadcasting properties and strategically lead the organization across multiple media platforms and affiliate relationships to assure the immediate and longterm objectives of their investment. .
After acquiring the broadcast properties the owners infused substantial capital to upgrade the facilities, production, post, programming, engineering, sales and operational resources.
The new station owners wanted to capitalize on a growing yet under-served Hispanic market in their DMA’s and also optimize business, creative and technical opportunities for the multiple TV stations in a “high income” demographics in Southern California with potential for broadcast synergies in multinational markets.
An executive search committee was formed consisting of the CFO, President & Chairman of the diversified holding companies. Tony Filson (TF) was assigned as the Officer in Charge of Search (OIC) and conducted the national search from Filcro Media’s New York City offices for complete U.S. OTA station coverage.
The objective of this search was to optimize assets and return on an eight-figure investment. Filcro Media Staffing with a reputation in brining business goals to fruition through executive search, was perfect for this assignment
Executive Search Committee Member Industry and Sector inclusion
Television Broadcasting
Radio Broadcasting
Online Interactive - Telecom
Banking & Financial Services - U.S. & Canada
Industrial Transportation & Railway
QSR - Quick Service Restaurants - U.S. & Canada
The ESC designated the CFO as the point of contact.
Subsequent to Filcro Media Staffing being retained
The Filcro Media Staffing OIC Tony Filson participated in a number of phone conferences with the CFO, President & Chairman.
Filcro Media Staffing was provided with organizational charts, financial statements and personnel records relevant to the search. Tony Filson established a profile that met with the consensus of the executive search committee based on the firm’s experience with similar searches and the board’s desired short and long term business goals.
FMS was fortunate to have a CFO functioning as a liaison with the broad who was always accessible and able to provide information on a timely basis for U.S. and Hispanic Broadcasting interests.
Challenges facing the TV General Manager (GM)
Change Management
TV Programming / National / Regional / Local
News Programming to meet multiple DMA’s and languages in diverse communities the stations served
Costs of Production, Co-Production, Syndicated Programming, Affiliate Relationship Agreements.
Best Practices
GSM Identification - Optimizing Sales
Hispanic and English Market Adaptation and Associated TV Programming
The Morale of the Company
Attracting and Retaining Business, Technical & Creative Executives
Growth of Programming in New Markets Across Multiple Media Platforms in Multiple Languages
Monetize Digital Assets for Mobile / OEM / OTT plans
Bring Continuity of Management to the Local Communities Served, The National Broadcasting Community / Industry, Station Employees, Advertising Agencies, Direct Clients, Programming Partners and The Networks (CBS & Azteca, GS) as Affiliates.
Make the stations profitable, lower OPEX through operational redundancy elimination, set expansion goals for current and future markets in diverse geographics.
The Filcro Media StaffingSolution
Filcro Media Staffing with Tony Filson as Officer in Charge of Search proceeded to Identify the "best in industry" Presidents, CEO’s, GM’s and TV Station Group Presidents from appropriate DMA’s and national broadcasters with “distinct similarities” and proven efficacy with similar revenue objectives relevant to the proposed ecology of the client’s newly acquired media holdings.
Opportunities in growing markets and high net-worth demos (low hanging fruit) was not capitalized on in the past. The organization needed a change agent who could create a culture of success by infusing broad monetization acumen that would be respected by each business, technical and creative department head, that was going to part of the station groups future.
Monetization of cross-platform resources was essential to optimize localization revenue with technology partners as well as regional and national opportunities for sponsorships and advertising sales from non-traditional revenue sources.
Successful candidate identified
A President & CEO of one of Americas leading broadcasting companies with the experience and personal and professional interests directly in line with those of the client company.
In his role prior to being recruited by the firm he oversaw the day to day operations for 42 TV stations in 25 markets with 8 Regional Vice Presidents reporting into him. His experience managing, hiring, training and motivating people with diverse backgrounds, was well noted, in the broadcasting industry.
He brought to the new owners 25 years of television station management on a national level. His business, technology, creative and financial acumen placed him as one of the top TV broadcasting executives in his space, in America. His diverse programming and scheduling expertise allowed him to dominate the top National DMA’s under his management.
This TV executive also had experience enhancing and developing media technology in a practical manner as the properties he managed enhanced National, Regional and Local monetization across multiple media platforms. This TV executive was not a technology for technology's sake type of broadcasting executive. His mature approach to budgets, development and utilization of technology were well above the mean for a “TV Stations Group” President.
This TV executive also served as both Chairman and President of the Board of Directors of two State Associations of Broadcasters and the Station Group needed a foothold into these markets to become a more important player in regional and national markets.
Summary
The executive and his family were successfully attracted and relocated by an enthusiastic board and Chairman. Filcro Media Staffing with Tony Filson as OIC participated in the employment contract phase with the Candidate, Chairman, President and CFO.
Corporate ownership was exceptionally pleased with Filcro Media Staffing’s modality, efficacy and cadence in attracting new leadership to secure this substantial media property investment.
Results
Through the executive hired, all business goals were met and the client enjoyed the transaction that Filcro Media Staffing was hired to bring to fruition by specialized broadcasting GM recruitment.
Filcro Media Staffing, All rights reserved, Filcro Media Staffing, Inc. - National Media and Broadcasting Executive Search Firms - Selected Case Histories for Station GM’s and Presidents of TV Station Groups.
