by The Editors on April 3, 2009
When Oprah Winfrey launches her own cable network OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network early 2010 it’s going to be with a little help from a show with the surfing Paskowitz family, according to a story in the Chicago Tribune. The show?
“Surfer’s Healing” is touted as a “docu-soap” tracking former competitive surfer Izzy Paskowitz and his family.
The channel will launch the surfers program into 70 million homes, making it their biggest audience yet.
[Link: Chicago Tribune]
by The Editors on February 12, 2019
Fox Sports today announced that they have signed a deal making them the exclusive U.S. television broadcaster for shows produced by a certain privately owned entertainment company specializing in event and online streamed content production (mostly surfing sport).
FOX Sports will telecast more than 500 hours of [surf event] programming, including live contests and highlight shows, across FOX, FS1, FS2 and the FOX Sports app in 2019.
This just might mean we’ll end up watching some of the surfing sport shows this season. Haven’t for quite some time. . . we’ll see. We were surprised to see no mention of the Oprah Winfrey Network? Maybe that deal isn’t done yet. For the official word from Fox (including all the details we’ve purposely ignored in light of our own sad, tired, anti-establishment proclivities), please click the link.
[Link: Fox Sports]
by The Editors on October 8, 2018
A certain privately owned entertainment company specializing in event and online streamed content production (mostly surfing sport) announced today the hiring of former Oprah Winfrey Network President Erik Logan as their new president of content, media and studios. The Hollywood Reporter has gone so far as calling it a “shakeup at OWN.”
There’s no doubt this guy’s CV is stacked. Take a look:
[Logan] led OWN’s turnaround from 2011 and has positioned the company today as the #1 cable network in its target demographic with 5 of the top 20 shows in scripted cable programs for women ages 25-54, more than any other cable network. Before OWN, Logan was Executive Vice President, programming and broadcast operations for XM Satellite Radio, where he helped build the subscriber base to over nine million subscribers, negotiated partnerships, and managed day-to-day relationships with major content providers including Major League Baseball, PGA Tour, CNN, Clear Channel Communications and Fox News. Prior to joining XM, Logan also served as President of Programming for Citadel Broadcasting, and served for over a decade at CBS/Infinity Broadcasting in a variety of roles, including Vice President of programming.
We’re worn-out just reading his bio. Think of how good Erik is at going to meetings? Can’t say this company isn’t hiring the best people they can find.
In addition to his deep biz cred, Logan is also described as an “avid waterman,” co-founder of Shred & Speed, LLC Infinity SUP, and co-owner in Nikau Kai Surf Shop in Manhattan Beach, California. Guess that means he knows which way his fins go.
We’ll just have to wait and see if Logan can find an audience or if he’ll have to branch out into something other than surfing if they really want to maximize their ROI. Maybe live SUP events or even scripted cable programs for women ages 25-54? Logan starts his new job in January 2019.
