Richard Cusick Named General Manager of TMS

CHICAGO, Nov. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribune Company today announced the appointment of Richard Cusick as General Manager of Tribune Media Services (TMS), a provider of world-class TV and movie entertainment data to media and technology companies around the globe.  Cusick will be responsible for all aspects of TMS, including strategic planning, operations management, software and product development, and sales and marketing.  He will begin his new duties November 11 and report to Shashi Seth, President/Tribune Digital Ventures.

Cusick has a rich background in digital media, serving most recently as Vice President/Entertainment and Women's Lifestyles at Yahoo!, where he oversaw more than $100 million in revenue and a team of more than 100 people.  Prior to Yahoo!, he was Founder and General Manager of Swirl by DailyCandy and Senior Vice President and General Manager for Digital Media at Gemstar-TV Guide.

"Richard is an innovative leader who understands the power and value of the robust entertainment data generated by TMS," said Seth.  "His vision and strategic approach will enable TMS to find new ways to maximize the value of that data by developing new data, products, and services in step with the changing landscape of television and entertainment, and to expand globally."

At Yahoo!, Cusick overhauled the internet giant's Entertainment and Lifestyles verticals, hiring a new management team, leading a strategic business review, doubling original content and refreshing the site.  He also oversaw the launch of OMGinsider, a web and TV collaboration between Yahoo! and CBS.

"In the TV and movie entertainment data space, TMS is the world's #1 brand, and among its more than 4,000 clients that reputation is well-deserved," said Cusick.  "I'm excited about joining the company and getting the opportunity to extend that brand into new markets with new products."

From 2002 to 2008, Cusick served in a variety of general management, strategic planning and business development positions at Gemstar-TV Guide.  During that time he led a six-month process to develop a new corporate mission and strategic plan to reposition the more than 50-year-old TV Guide brand.  As SVP and General Manager of Digital Media, he increased online annual revenue by 27% to more than $20 million and grew traffic by 40% to more than 6 million Nielsen monthly unique visitors in 2007 and 2008.

Cusick earned his BA in history from Harvard University in 1992, and his JD and MBA from The Ohio State University in 1998.    

TMS is an international leader in entertainment information. As part of its On Entertainment product line the company provides industry leading TV, movie and celebrity metadata that fuels the most exciting entertainment guides and applications on the planet. In addition, this comprehensive metadata is used extensively for media measurement and analysis. For more information about TMS visit TribuneMediaServices.com.

TRIBUNE is one of the country's leading multimedia companies, operating businesses in broadcasting, publishing, and interactive. The company's broadcasting group owns or operates 23 television stations, WGN America on national cable, the national multicast networks Antenna TV and THIS TV, Tribune Studios and Chicago's WGN-AM. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, Sun Sentinel (South Florida), Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, The Morning Call and Daily Press. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE Tribune