Alan Saxe Named Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network
February 24, 2009
(Los Angeles, Ca.) Alan Saxe has been named Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, effective immediately. With more than two decades of entertainment industry experience, Saxe joins the network from Warner Horizon Television, where he was Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs. The announcement was made today by both Robin Schwartz, President of OWN Television, and Robert Tercek, President of OWN Digital Media, to whom he will report.
In this position, Saxe will oversee all negotiations for television and digital agreements. In addition, he will handle acquisitions, financing, and production negotiations and manage business practices for the network.
"Alan's experience with both fiction and nonfiction programming is un-paralleled," said Schwartz. "He brings a deep understanding of the changing needs of entertainment, and we are thrilled to have him as our business and legal advisor."
"We are glad to have Alan joining us, as he understands the negotiation and content needs associated with a multi-platform launch such as ours," said Tercek.
A veteran of Warner Bros. for more than 22 years, most recently Saxe oversaw business and legal affairs for the new WB division, Warner Horizon Television, the Warner Bros. division producing primetime alternative programming for the network and cable and scripted dramatic series for cable. Prior to his work there, Saxe served as Executive Vice President of Telepictures Productions and Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. He began his career as an employment and labor litigator and then Manager of Labor Relations at Warner Bros.
Saxe holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego, with a dual license to practice law in California and New York. He also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Diego and Bachelor of Science Management from State University of New York Binghamton.
About OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network
A joint venture between Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network is a multi-platform media company designed to entertain, inform, and inspire people to live their best lives. OWN will debut in more than 70 million homes, on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel. The venture also will include the award-winning digital platform, Oprah.com.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's number one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
About Harpo
Harpo Productions, Inc. produces the number-one-rated, award-winning "The Oprah Winfrey Show;" creates and develops original TV programming for primetime, syndication and cable television; and operates Oprah.com (www.oprah.com), a premier lifestyle website. Harpo Print, LLC and Hearst Magazines publish the monthly O, The Oprah Magazine publication. Harpo Films is dedicated to high-quality scripted dramatic programming, and recently announced an exclusive television deal with HBO. Harpo Radio, Inc. produces Oprah & Friends (XM channel 156, Sirius channel 195) on Sirius XM Radio. A joint venture between Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a multi-platform company, will debut in late 2009 or early 2010 in more than 70 million homes, on what is currently the Discovery Health Channel.