Ian Aaron
President & CEO
Mr. Aaron serves as our Chief Executive Officer and is personally responsible for overseeing every aspect of our domestic and international business. Previously, Mr. Aaron served as the President of the TV Guide Television Group, Mr. Aaron oversaw TV Guide-branded businesses in cable and satellite including: TV Guide Channel, the leading television entertainment and guidance network in nearly 80 million homes; TV Guide Interactive, North America?s leading interactive program guide; TV Guide?s new short form On Demand network ?Big Guide,? providing television, movie and music previews, reviews and recommendations for Cable, DBS, Broadband and Mobile platforms; and TV Guide International. Under his leadership, TV Guide Channel distribution went from 57 million to nearly 77 million subscribers in 2004, solidifying its place as the fastest-growing network of the year while repositioning the value the Channel holds for distributors, programmers and advertisers. Mr. Aaron also led the way in forging new content partnerships including NBC Olympics to help viewers sort through the unprecedented 24-hour, around-the-clock coverage of the Games in Athens. The partnership resonated throughout the industry by driving nearly 35 million households to NBC broadcast and cable networks throughout the Games in prime time. He also secured TV Guide Channel?s first major talent coup ? signing Joan & Melissa Rivers for a multi-year deal to bring their signature style, humour and commentary to the network through Red Carpet coverage, original series and specials. A telecom and cable television industry veteran, Mr. Aaron joined Gemstar-TV Guide in May 2003 from TVN Entertainment where he was President and Chief Executive Officer. In that position, Mr. Aaron was responsible TVN?s core Pay Per View Entertainment, Digital TV packaging and distribution, and Direct Response advertising business units. During his three-year tenure, Mr. Aaron rebuilt and repositioned TVN's content management software and satellite platforms with the major cable MSOs, established new licensing arrangements with the major motion picture studios and more than 40 cable and broadcast networks in order to position TVN as the leading video-on-demand (VOD) packaging and distribution company. In addition, Mr. Aaron facilitated a $250 million restructuring and the securing of an additional $60 million of working capital. Prior to joining TVN, Mr. Aaron served for six years as president of SoftNet Systems, Inc. and its Broadband Cable Modem subsidiary ISP Channel, where he was responsible for reorganizing the company?s telecom and broadband business units, moving the company from the AMEX to the NASDAQ, raising an additional $350 million in working capital and launching cable modem broadband systems in partnerships with domestic and international CATV MSOs. Mr. Aaron began his career in R&D and Product Development at GTE and for GTE?s international Joint Venture Fujitsu/GTE Business Communication Systems working both domestically and in Japan.