Biard rises to EVP at Fox Cable

Michael Biard has been promoted to EVP, affiliate sales and marketing for Fox Cable Networks.

In his new position, Biard will oversee distribution of Fox Cable’s more than 35 domestic television networks and their non-linear extensions by all of the major cable, satellite and telco operators. He directs the networks’ business strategies and negotiations with all of the major content distributors as well as works closely with Fox Digital Media on related multi-platform distribution opportunities. Biard reports to Mike Hopkins, president of affiliate sales and marketing.

Biard has been with Fox for the past ten years, helping build the cable division and launch such networks as the Big Ten Network, National Geographic Channel, SPEED, Fuel TV, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox College Sports, Fox Reality Channel and two upcoming networks: Nat Geo Wild, launching this spring, and Fox Soccer Plus, launching on March 1.

Biard joined Fox in 2000 as director of affiliate business affairs. He was promoted to VP of affiliate business affairs in 2001, and then transitioned to national accounts in 2002. In 2006, he was promoted to SVP of national accounts, becoming head of national accounts two years ago.

Prior to joining Fox, Biard was an attorney at Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe and at Keesal, Young & Logan. He graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in biology and psychology in 1991 and he earned his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, graduating cum laude in 1996.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997 - September 2002.