GARY LICO

President & CEO Gary Lico, a 30-plus year veteran of the broadcasting industry, founded CABLEready in 1992 to represent existing program libraries and to develop original program ideas for the exploding number of cable networks in the United States. Since then, that same demand for quality, niche programs has flourished around the globe. CABLEready brings this same expertise to its international clients, through its network of over two-dozen leading telecasters, production companies and cable networks that it represents. CABLEready’s impact is felt on nearly every continent by a growing number of national networks, local telecasters, cable and satellite-delivered networks, in addition to a core client list of virtually every U.S. cable network. More cable networks have licensed programs from CABLEready than any other program distributor. Among CABLEready’s biggest hits are INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO on Bravo, FORENSIC FILES on Court TV, THE DIRECTORS on Encore, HOUSE OF BABIES on Discovery Health, MONSTER QUEST on History Channel and countless other series and one-offs.

Prior to launching CABLEready, Mr. Lico spent seven years at Columbia Pictures Television, most recently serving as Vice President, Eastern Region, and previously, as Eastern Sales Manager. At Columbia, he was instrumental in generating programming sales to the growing cable industry, taking transactions to cable networks to $42 million in just over three years. Among these were the first major off-network comedy sales to basic cable, My Two Dads (USA Network), and a then record price for an animated series to cable, The Real Ghostbusters (USA Network). During his tenure, he also served as chief liaison to both station representatives (i.e. Telerep, Blair, MMT and major broadcast groups (i.e. Hearst, Gannett, Sinclair, Viacom).

From 1980 to 1985, Mr. Lico was Vice President, Programming for Katz Communications. He led a team of programming consultants in analyzing program purchases and schedules for over 100 Katz-represented television stations and aided those stations in purchasing and scheduling such hits as Wheel of Fortune, Cheers and Little House On The Prairie.

Previously, Mr. Lico worked at TVS Television as Manager of Sales where he guided the company in its transition from sports packager to entertainment syndicator. Earlier, he served as Director of Program Marketing at SFM Entertainment where he launched Disney’s first syndication effort, The New Mickey Mouse Club, as well as the highly successful SFM Holiday Network, helping to establish SFM’s national presence.

Television viewers in Wisconsin may best remember Mr. Lico as the co-host and co-producer of top-rated A New Day, the daily, hour-long talk series on WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee that consistently won its time period beating such prestigious competitors as Donahue.

Mr. Lico also organized the NATPE Food Project, coordinating an impressive list of exhibitors to participate in donating food to the needy. The food project was aimed at distributing leftover food from events at the NATPE Program Conferences and Exhibitions with the help of a locally based organization designed to help feed the city’s hungry. To date the food project has generated donations of nearly ten tons of food in Miami, Las Vegas, and New Orleans.

Mr. Lico’s accomplishments within the broadcasting industry have been recognized with several honors. He has served as the International Radio and Television Society’s (IRTS) Chairman of the Summer Intern Program, the College Conference and the Media Insiders monthly speaking program, and as both the President and Vice President of Alpha Epsilon Rho, the National Honorary Broadcasting Society, increasing the visibility and membership of this group of broadcast professionals and students. Mr. Lico established the CABLEready Graduate Award given to a needy Graduate Student at the prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University over a 15-year period, and now sponsors the school’s annual CABLEready Industry Seminar in New York City. He frequently teaches at SU and Central Michigan University, and serves on the Newhouse School’s Advisory Board.

In December 2006 Gary Lico launched CableU, a service and information partnership between CABLEready and leading international and domestic television trade publisher Cynopsis, using tools that have made these two companies respected and loved by their clients and peers. CABLEready’s sales and research tools, Cynopsis’ programming information, and the experience of industry veterans authoring the site, all combine to create the CableU service and fill the information gap.

Mr. Lico received his M.S. in TV/Radio/Film from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and his B.A.A. in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette Bergh, and their two teenaged sons.