Sports Digital TV Editor-In-Chief

An Integrated Media Digital Editor in Chief Executive Search by Filcro Media Sports
Sports TV, Film, Digital, Entertainment, Magazine Publishing & Consumer Products

Digital Sports Editor in Chief (DEIC)

Search Digital Editor in Chief
Location Connecticut - USA
Reporting to Division GM
Search Firm Filcro Media Staffing / Filcro Sports
Officer in Charge Tony Filson

Client Profile

Live Entertainment: Which consists of live sports events and the sale of sports merchandise at events
Television Entertainment: Television programming, sports pay-per-view, and video on demand for all media platforms.
Consumer Products: Consists of the sale of video games, toys, books and other consumer products through third party licensees, as well as sales of sports magazines and home video sports products.
Digital Media: Consisting of online advertising, E-Commerce, broadband and mobile services.
Motion Picture: Focused on the production of feature films, direct-to-consumer films, as well as other film and made for television projects surrounding entertainment and sports brands .

Client Situation

An executive search committee was formed consisting of the firm’s senior most HR executives. The GM of Media was looking to identify a digital media executive with broad cross-platform TV and Interactive experience who could unify the various product groups and compliment their media holdings across digital platforms in this $300 Million USD division of the company. Enhanced monetization and cross platform synergies were the primary business objectives for this search to increase revenue to $500 Million.

Executive Search Committee (ESC) Member Industry and Sector Inclusion

Broadcast Television
Cable Television
Magazine Publishing
Digital Broadcasters
Merchandising
Sports Media & Sports Entertainment
Motion Picture Home / OD / Theater
Licensing and Merchandising

The (ESC) identified Filcro Media Staffing (FMS) and Tony Filson (TF) functioning as (OIC) Officer in Charge of Search. Human Resources was aware of Filcro Media Staffing through direct competitors who were utilizing the firm in their TV, Motion Picture and Digital Media Groups.

Filcro Media Staffing is Retained

The Filcro Media Staffing Officer in Charge of Search worked directly with HR to establish a consensus of the desired goals on business, technical and creative levels to meet the proposed revenue goals.

Filcro Media Sports was provided with technical, strategic, operational, organizational, financial, cultural and creative overviews requested to evaluate all hard and soft assets as they relate(d) to the skills and experience required of the new EIC. This information was invaluable in garnering an understanding of their unique and positive culture for the proper EIC to be identified.

The OIC visited with the client, viewed the work environment and creative facilities to garner an overview of their culture. In understanding the culture of the firm it was apparent that the organization was dedicated to assimilating executives quickly into a heavily layered organization with cross-functional teams dedicated to media platforms and business vertical monetization channels. Allowing for more immediacy, optimizing work-flow, removing layers and operational redundancy would clearly be an objective of this search to streamline OPEX.

As this was an addition to staff as a “change agent” and the first time Filcro Media Staffing was engaged by the client the OIC took a well thought-out approach and utilized a compilation of similar searches performed in the past across similar media platforms and media conglomerates with comparable divisional revenue goals and corporate structures to formulate the initial search universe. HR and the hiring executive were in agreement with the OIC’s approach and the search commenced immediately.

Human Resources was well versed in the business goals, teams and revenue objectives to provided the type of interaction normally enjoyed reporting directly to the hiring manager during the search process. The efficacy of this search was greatly complimented by working with such skilled HR professionals to augment feedback during the tirering of candidates.

Requirements for the Digital Editor in Chief

Oversee all aspects of content production and live sports broadcast and entertainment event coverage on the digital sites with unique digital content to supplement the TV Network.
Manage the day-to-day production of all written and visual content online / mobile including scripts, editorial, blogs, headlines, promos, commercial tie-ins
Focused autonomous web management (leadereship) experience and enthusiasm for online media that engages audiences to meet revenue goals.
Development of creative writing styles and accompanying style guides for cross-functional editorial teams.
Ensure continuity among the editorial units and set the tone of those units accordingly
Differentiation of content, tone and editorial among other production units including Television, PPV, Sports Venue, Mobile and Print Publications.
Formulate content plans for tent-pole events.
Create and manage editorial schedules (both long and short term), develop distinctive tone and voice for editorial packages and site sections
Manage the production of assignments to producers and partners through the production process, and manage the team of creative professionals associated with production and post-production for online content.
Maintain close working relationships with the Group Creative Director, Technology (Information Architecture and Design), VP Events, Interactive Sales, on-air creative team, and the various Magazines.
Integrate creative resources and assets from Television, Film and other writing teams
Supervise production materials, activities and daily production processes to meet strict deadlines
Implement staff policies and manage costs of full-time and freelance staff in each department
Interpret audience research information to formulate story ideas and execute, confirm metrics and report findings.
Organize story elements and coverage information beyond articles of text and pictures
Track media metrics and analytics that demonstrate improvements in content quality (unique, user frequency / duration) and implement revisions to plan to achieve group goals
Identify interests of site visitors and continually tailor digital product(s) to their needs and expectations
Collaborate to develop new interactive tools to measure audience participation
Continually surprise and delight sports fans with creativity and enhanced functionality
Supervise the verification of facts: sources, and historical data viewed by a well informed audience
Supervise and write headlines and promos while ensuring correct (or relevant) grammar, punctuation or spelling
Follow copyright laws to protect internal intellectual property and exposure in use of outside intellectual property
Interview and hire sports writers, sports reporters, negotiate contracts, royalties, and payments for authors and or freelancers.
Develop story or content ideas, considering reader or audience appeal based on “industry developments”
Review and approve proofs submitted by composing room prior to publication and magazine production.
Confer with management and editorial staff members regarding placement and emphasis of developing news stories that could drive revenue
Meet frequently with artists, typesetters, layout personnel, marketing directors, and production managers to discuss projects and resolve problems.
Monitor news-gathering / digital news-room operations to ensure utilization of all news sources, such as press releases, telephone contacts, radio, television, wire services, and other reporters.
Assign topics, events and stories to individual writers or reporters for coverage.
Extensive knowledge of web and media production techniques to improve work-flow
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer service to digital consumers. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Strong commercial and business sensibility to work well with advertising
Deep understanding of arid enthusiasm for professional sports, sports products and associated athletes
Highly collaborative nature and spirit to bring teams together
Ability to work in conjunction with TV and special event schedules at varied hours and days as required for US, LATAM, EU, ASIA and MENA markets.

Successful Digital Editor in Chief Recruited

The new Digital Editor in Chief was a Former ESPN / Disney and AOL executive. He had functioned with autonomy over the business, creative and technical functions of some of the most popular web sites in the world directly related to the client’s genre with products exceeding the revenue goals set at the onset of the search.

His extensive cross-platform experience with broadcast, print and interactive offered unique acumen to manage and function vertically within his prior organizations. This was specifically requested by the hiring manager.

The new Digital Editor in Chief was identified, screened, attracted and hired at the prescribed cadence set by the client company.

Human resources played a pivotal role in the cadence of the search and coordinated immediate access to the EIC’s potential staff, hiring manager (direct report), peers in TV and print, board members and others who participated in the recruitment process. The Chairman of the company played an active role in interviewing and attracting this talented executive based on his stature in the digital community. The Chairman was extremely happy with the executive attracted and provided use of the company jet to acquaint the executive with the firm’s facilities on the East and West Coast.

The new executive become acclimated in a brief period of time and literally hit the ground running. The EIC required no relocation as he resides minutes from the client’s offices

Given the proper autonomy and equally mature business executives to work with, this EIC was hired to be a successful change agent across all media platforms in an organization in need of comprehensive digital media management, revenue growth and continuity in branding to a global audience.