Jim Liberatore Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Outdoor Channel
OutdoorHub 06.24.13
Outdoor Channel announces the appointment of Jim Liberatore as President and Chief Executive Officer of the leading outdoor lifestyle cable network. Effective immediately, he will succeed Tom Hornish, who will remain with the company through a transitional period. Jim was most recently president of SportsTime Ohio, a 24/7 regional sports network. The appointment follows the recent acquisition of Outdoor Channel by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, LLC (KSE), one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment ownership and management groups.
“We are very pleased to welcome cable network veteran Jim Liberatore as President and Chief Executive Officer,” commented Jim Martin, President and CEO of KSE. “Jim has an outstanding track record of building and growing successful cable network brands and we will benefit from his expertise, industry relationships and vision. As we work with Jim to chart the next phase of Outdoor Channel’s expansion, we will look to fully maximize the potential of this great franchise for our viewers, advertisers and business partners.”
“I am thrilled to be at a network with a loyal, passionate and engaged viewership base, and look forward to continuing to serve that passion and rewarding that loyalty,” said Jim Liberatore. “Outdoor Channel is well positioned to build on its success with the support and resources of KSE, as well as the network’s talented operating team. I look forward to working closely with KSE, Tom Hornish and the rest of the Outdoor Channel executive team in the weeks ahead as I visit with our employees, partners and advertisers. The future is exceedingly bright for Outdoor Channel and I am confident we can continue to grow our leadership and influence in serving the nation’s outdoor enthusiast market.”
Liberatore served as president of SportsTime Ohio since 2006, where he was responsible for the successful launch of the Northern Ohio sports network, as well as overseeing its operational and strategic direction. Before that, Liberatore led the Charlotte, NC-based Speed Channel for five years as president. He joined the network soon after it was bought by News Corp., relaunched it from Speedvision to Speed Channel, and significantly increased its revenue and viewership. Earlier in his career, he also held executive positions at FOX Sports/Sunshine Network and Madison Square Garden.
“I would like to thank Tom Hornish for his outstanding service to Outdoor Channel,” added Martin. “During the past nine years, Tom has played a pivotal role in guiding Outdoor Channel’s growth, securing top-rated content and strengthening the network’s relationships across the industry. A true outdoor enthusiast with a passion for hunting and fishing, we look forward to continuing to work with Tom during the transitional period and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
“It’s been a terrific run at Outdoor Channel and I have very much enjoyed being part of the network’s success and working with such a great team in an industry I love,” commented Tom Hornish. “Under the ownership of KSE, the future of Outdoor Channel has never been better. As I make plans for the next stage of my career, I would like to thank everyone at the company, as well as the team at KSE, for their strong support. I look forward to working with Jim in making this a very smooth and productive transition.”
