Howe Named President of Sci Fi Channel
Had Been Executive VP, GM for Three Years; Joined Cable Network in September 2001
By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/16/2008 6:59:00 PM
Sci Fi Channel's Dave Howe was promoted to president after three years as executive vice president and general manager of the network.
The new title gives him official oversight of all aspects of the channel, including programming, development, marketing and branding.
He continues to report to Bonnie Hammer, who retains the president title at Sci Fi (she is also president of USA Network) and will continue to serve as a key mentor.
The move, long in the works, makes him the network's top executive. He shifts now from overseeing day-to-day operations to all strategic-development responsibilities for the network. His first order of business: continuing to try to make Sci Fi more than just a TV network in consumers’ minds.
Sci Fi has branched into a magazine, consumer products, comic books and video games, and it is continuing to try to broaden its brand recognition to consumers to stand for all things science-fiction-related, not just television programming.
“There’s a lot of areas I want us to focus on and figure out how we can ultimately tap the hugely untapped potential of this brand,” Howe said in an interview. “This is the most mainstream genre out there, and we have the ability to own an entire category both in terms of television and other affinity lifestyle areas.”
He continued, “This formally recognizes the role in terms of really taking Sci Fi to the next level. The buck stops with me in terms of really finding out how to diversify our revenue stream going forward.”
Howe joined Sci Fi in September 2001 after a long career in British TV, including 15 years at the British Broadcasting Corp., to head up marketing. He has since overseen a brand redefinition to broaden Sci Fi's target audience beyond teen-age boys in their basements.
The network got a big boost from its recent retelling of The Wizard of Oz story, Tin Man. The miniseries was its highest-rated original ever.
"Dave has been an inspired contributor to Sci Fi’s success since the day he joined the team," Hammer said in announcing the appointment. “The channel's on a tremendous roll and the energy, creativity and commitment Dave brings to his new role can only accelerate the momentum."
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I have a DVR that I use just for Scifi and can say that I have viewed every episode of every original program from your network for at least the last five or six years. I admit I fast forward the commercials , but in fast speed I still have memorized more of them than I would like to admit .I was not a fan of “B†monster movies but now usually watch the many pseudo-horror movies on Saturday night. I can only hope you will continue to turn out more original series in the future.
Allen Charles - 2/14/2009 11:40:35 PM EST -
HI HOWE: MY NAME IS MARK ALLEN. \"I THINK YOUR SIFI CHANNAL STINKS\". WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE 8 MIN. OF MOVIE & 13 MIN. OF COMMERCIALS ? THE MOVIES THAT YOU HAVE ON IS GOOD MOVIES BUT THE COMMERCIALS STINK. ARE YOU THAT POOR THAT YOU NEED TO DO THAT!? IT WOULD BE NICE TO HERE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
