Ryan O'Hara Leaving as President of TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com for New Opportunity; Current Leadership Team Will Continue Channel's Growth Momentum

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Feb 05, 2010, 10:06 ET

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ryan O'Hara, President of TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com, is leaving effective immediately to take a new position in New York that will be announced next week, it was announced today by Lionsgate Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer and TV Guide Network Board Chairman Allen Shapiro.

During the nine months since TV Guide Network was acquired by Lionsgate and One Equity Partners was brought in as a partner, the network has acquired new programming such as ABC's longrunning series Ugly Betty and HBO's acclaimed hit Curb Your Enthusiasm, achieved back-to-back record ratings weeks with the December airings of the films DIRTY DANCING and DIRTY DANCING: HAVANA NIGHTS from Lionsgate's library and the Susan Boyle story, and forged new long-term distribution agreements with Comcast and Charter. TVGuide.com has also achieved explosive growth, increasing from five to 21 million unique monthly users in the past three years.

TV Guide Network recently strengthened its management team with the announcement that respected industry veteran Diane Robina has been named Executive Vice President of Development, Acquisition and Programming Strategy. Robina also continues as President of Lionsgate's branded multiplatform horror/thriller network FEARnet with partners Sony and Comcast. TV Guide Network and TVGuide.com will continue under the leadership of their current management teams under the overall direction of Feltheimer and Shapiro.

"Ryan and his management team have led TV Guide Network to a strong year of growth in both programming and distribution," said Feltheimer. "He has been a key architect of the channel's continued evolution into a fully distributed, full screen general entertainment network that will play an important role in the cable landscape of the future."

"Ryan will be missed, but Jon Feltheimer and I have tremendous confidence in the team of talented and entrepreneurial executives who will continue to build on TVGN and TVGuide.com's momentum," said Shapiro.

"We have a strong leadership team and a focused strategy to build TV Guide Network into a branded celebration of entertainment and fandom, so this is the right time for me to move on to another new entrepreneurial opportunity that has arisen," said O'Hara. "I enjoyed my eight years at TV Guide tremendously, and I believe the trajectory of the business has never been better. It is in perfect hands with Lionsgate and One Equity Partners."

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) is the leading next generation studio with a strong and diversified presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming through Debmar-Mercury and an array of channel platform assets. Lionsgate currently has nearly 20 shows on 10 different networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as "Mad Men," "Weeds" and "Nurse Jackie," along with new series such as "Blue Mountain State" and the syndication successes "Tyler Perry's House Of Payne," its spinoff "Meet The Browns" and "The Wendy Williams Show." Its feature film business has generated more than $400 million at the North American box office in the past year, including the recent critically-acclaimed hit PRECIOUS, which has garnered $45 million at the North American box office and earned six Academy Award nominations. The Company's home entertainment business has grown to more than 7% market share and is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 12,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand remains synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

About TV Guide Network

TV Guide Network is the true entertainment insider and the only network that celebrates Hollywood, its stars and the shows that fans adore. Committed to buzz-worthy, breakout programming and a rich, multi-platform viewing experience, TV Guide Network is seen in more than 80 million homes nationwide and online at TVGuide.com, a one-stop fan destination serving 21 million unique users per month. TV Guide Network is home to some of America's fan-favorite series including "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Ugly Betty" and "American Idol Rewind." The network also takes fans behind-the-scenes of Hollywood with original programming that delivers the latest news on entertainment and pop culture, as well as live coverage of the industry's biggest events such as the Red Carpet at the Academy Awards® and Primetime Emmy® Awards. TV Guide Network, TVGuide.com and the TV Guide brand are owned by Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading next-generation studio and producer of award-winning series "Mad Men" and "Weeds," and One Equity Partners, the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase.