A Cable Television Network TV Traffic Executive Search Case History for Review

   Vice President Network Traffic
   TV, OTA, MSO, VOD, Broadband, Mobile, OEM

Based   Washington, DC - USA
Search Firm  Filcro Media Staffing
Officer in Charge Tony Filson, New York, NY - USA
Reporting to  Executive Vice President, New York, NY - USA
Search Groups Technology | Traffic
Executive Search  Vice President Network Traffic

The Client

U.S. Multinational Media and Entertainment Conglomerate seeking to upgrade their TV Network traffic infrastructure from a management and technology perspective. This Cable TV Network with over 100,000,000 subs is advertising driven and will enjoy substantial growth based on programming initiatives from the parent company.

Their facilities in Washington, DC / VA / MD geo will service all agencies as well as Network sales offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit.

Client Situation

The Executive Vice President of TV Network Sales felt it was essential to upgrade the traffic function internal and external to the organization. There was a clear need to enhance synergy of the multiplex properties to allow the network to have systems that they could grow into, as opposed to out of. The Network needed to upgrade personnel, hardware and software along with management and workflow procedures. This systemic reorganization would require change management, formalized training and succession planning initiatives that did not exist before.

Executive Search Committee Member(s) Industry and Sector Inclusion

• Broadcasting Operations - Cable Television
• OTA TV Networks & Station Groups
• Satellite Broadcasters
• Advertising Agencies - Media Groups
• Traffic, Inventory and Sales Planning - Technology Vendors

The EVP of Network Sales identified Filcro Media Staffing (FMS) and Tony Filson (TF) functioning as Officer in Charge of Search after conducting their own national identification efforts to identify the ideal traffic executive. The EVP wanted a new and fresh perspective on the national media markets outside of their traditional recruitment resources.

Filcro Media Staffing is Retained

The Filcro Media Staffing Officer in Charge of Search Tony Filson and the Filcro Director of Research with the EVP of TV Network Sales initiated and completed the search document after two brief phone calls, the same day.

Based on Filcro Media Staffing’s intimate knowledge of the TV Network and the parent company, along with extensive executive search experience recruiting TV Broadcasting Network Traffic, Inventory, Planning and Operations executives, Filcro Media Staffing was able to proceed with the search the following business day.

The Filcro Media Staffing OIC and the EVP of Network Sales felt that setting a new standard for Network Traffic meant that “current internal means” were of no relevance to establishing “new” performance criterion.  Revised technology, management programs, workflow modalities did not currently exist that would be acceptable in the “NEW” traffic environment.

Tony Filson reviewed all hardware and software along with client supplied O&D charting to establish what resources could be utilized as part of the new Inventory and Traffic infrastructure. Understanding what changes had to be made from a Human Resource perspective, directly or on a dotted-line were very important as we needed to identify from the onset of the search current strengths and weaknesses from a skill set and experience perspective prior to discussing “change management”.

The intent was to train and upgrade as many current employees as possible prior to implementing any other changes with the exception of a few employees who clearly did not have the skills or capacity to be part of the “new” Network traffic infrastructure.

The Executive Vice President of Network Sales admired different characteristics of modality, workflow and efficacy from other networks. Tony Filson established a search document that drew from multiple environments to set ideals that would be used during universe compilation.

Challenges facing the new Vice President of Traffic (VPT)

• Change Management
• Training & Development
• Budget Controls
• Adaptation of New and Old Technology to Client Needs
• Team Building - Sales - Sales Planning, Sales Services - IT - Traffic - Inventory
• Agency Partnerships - Enhancing Relationships
• Succession Planning
• Workflow Adaptations

Filcro Media Staffing’s Recruitment Solution

Filcro Media Staffing proceeded to Identify the "best in class" traffic executives from TV Networks and multiplex broadcasters who presently exceeded the SUB’s of the client company. A proven record of success in dealing with technical ecology in a growing TV Network was of primary interest. Based on the client’s current contractual hardware and software obligations, Tony Filson as OIC started with a universe of TV Networks and media companies that were based on similar traffic, inventory, sales planning and research infrastructures where he had relationships and in depth knowledge of front and back office sales workflow.

A TV broadcasting executive capable of focusing on transforming modality, while maintaining an “open door”, policy on a holistic level would have to be identified to assure that new technology adaptations would be seamless. Employees, clients, agencies and vendors would all need immediate access to Network leadership to properly implement the systemic positive changes required just prior to an important upfront.

Team development was essential and with multiple offices located throughout the United States this executive would have to pull the respective Directors, Managers and line personnel  of Inventory, Traffic, Sales, Sales Services, Broadcast Operations and IT together seamlessly regardless of geography.

One part of Tony Filson’s solution was to identify an executive who had gone from a decentralized to centralized NOC, BO&E or Traffic function in the past. This would solve many issues from the onset and let us concentrate on other experience and skill sets while recruiting the new VP.  This “D to C” skill as we call it, usually requires a great deal of evangelism in and outside of an organization and  would be of valuable in motivating many varied types of constituents.

As the EVP of Network Sales was so intent on setting new standards, just prior to an upfront it was imperative that we identified, recruited and attracted expeditiously those who were appropriate based on proven experience and success that coincided exactly with the EVP’s  desired goals for the TV Network sales organization.

Successful Vice President Recruited

A Vice President of TV Network Traffic based in Atlanta, GA.

This VP of Network Traffic had Sales Services, Creative Services, Inventory, Programming, IT and broadcast engineering and operations all falling under his umbrella for Network Sales Operations in-line with the growth required at the client company.

This executive was responsible for all external and internal traffic functions for one of the most respected multiplex cable television networks in the world. The Network as part of another major media and entertainment conglomerate was larger then the client company and everyone viewed this as a positive to facilitate accelerated career growth for the identified executive as he grew the Network's traffic and inventory functions.

The new VP had also facilitated similar technology and management changes in his previous environment. From “above, on, and below line” everyone we spoke with viewed this executive as a catalyst who made things happen. A great number of his staff in his previous environment(s) were promoted and he allowed those people to grow in and out of his department which said a lot about his devotion to his employees, the company and his effective mentoring skills. This VP also managed a larger staff in the past and his ability to manage people and technology was proven on every level of concern to the Executive Vice President. The hiring of new staff and setting of new standards was something he enjoyed and was successful with many times in the past.

This VP had a very skillful way of managing resources and work flow. His methodologies were sophisticated and he understood development issues better than most Traffic executives. He was able to assimilate and disseminate information in such a way that everyone felt included in the success of a project or simple everyday work flow. When he was given multiple network (multiplex) responsibilities in his previous environment he was able to make technological, training, budget and efficacy changes that increased performance allowing sales to sell more effectively. His ability to manage budgets and increase revenue at the same time was an outstanding skill.  As the new Network was also becoming a consolidated multiplex this was an ideal fit.

The cultural fit was proper on every level and the transition from Atlanta, GA to Washington, DC was very easy for him and his family.

Note: This VP has been promoted to Senior Vice President and continues to be a valuable resource to the continued success of this multiplex now in over 120,000,000 homes in the U.S. and additional international subscribers.