Lion Television Sets Table For Longterm Growth

On the heels of a banner 2007, Lion Television Inc. has now positioned itself for even further expansion and revenue growth in the US marketplace. In addition to paving the way for a significantly increased American presence for UK-headquartered parent company All3 Media, the company has unveiled major management moves a variety of new network television production pick-ups, as well as key series renewals.
Tony Tackaberry, who most recently oversaw the company’s exponential stateside growth in New York as its EVP - 2007 Lion Television Inc. production increased by 40% to 140 original hours - has been promoted as the first CEO of Lion Inc. to be based in the U.S. He’ll now have oversight for all of the new company’s US mushrooming operations in New York and Los Angeles. As well he’ll take on the strategic role of planning and leading Lion's growth.
Nick Catliff, who had been Lion’s CEO (based in London), and continues as co-MD of Lion Television and President of Lion Inc. said: "In just five years Tony has transformed Lion's New York operations from a start-up into a highly successful business making over 100 hours of prime time programming for American cable and terrestrial broadcasters. He is the ideal person to take on the challenge of bringing the New York and Los Angeles operations together as single creative business."
Tackaberry added: "I'm really looking forward to bringing together the highly talented, passionate professionals we have on the east and west coasts. It's a great move for Lion at a great time. We've enjoyed successive years of sustained growth, thanks to distinctive, high quality programming -- but we realize continued investment is the key to continue that growth and to that end this year alone we will be increasing our development spend by almost 50%, with new hires on the East and West coasts. It's an exciting time for me - and an exciting time for Lion."
In Los Angeles, Tracy Green has taken on an expanded role within Lion's parent company All3 Media. Continuing her daily responsibilities as EVP of Lion Television Inc.’s Los Angeles office, she will now also be at the heart of All3's drive to bring the many formats being created by its companies in the UK and Europe to the American market. All3 is already the largest independent producer in the UK and, with its acquisitions of major European producers such as MME in Germany, it is ideally placed to provide Green, and Lion Television Inc., with a stream of new formats for the US market.
Steve Morrison, Chief executive of All3 Media, said: "We have a great wealth of new formats within the group and Tracy is the ideal person to unlock it. She has the industry experience and the production track record to take All3's formats from around the world and re-shape them for the American market."
(DS)