Gary Lico

President & CEO Gary Lico, a 30-plus year veteran of the broadcasting industry, founded CABLEready in 1992 to represent existing program libraries and to develop original program ideas for the exploding number of cable networks in the United States.

Since then, Mr. Lico has built companies that have generated millions of dollars in program license fees all around the world while giving back to the industry he loves so much. “We’re blessed to be in this TV business – we owe our audience an escape from or to a window to the world – and we have a responsibility to each other and the industry to reach out to each other and to those who will take it from here.

In addition to his corporate duties, he was recently elected to serve on the NATPE Board of Directors.

The Companies of CABLEready are:

CABLEready (www.cableready.net) – The television industry’s premier independent program representation and production development firm with clients located across the globe. Established to represent existing program libraries, develop original program ideas and series franchises, CABLEready has licensed more programs to U.S. cable networks than any other program distributor. Its successes include Inside The Actors Studio, a hit on Bravo in the U.S. and airing in more than 100 countries worldwide; Forensic Files, truTV’s top-rated and longest-running series; and countless other series and specials. CABLEready is the exclusive international distributor for such global factual programming brands as New York Times Television and TV Guide Network. CABLEready also distributes programs on behalf of Lionsgate, Weather Channel, and TruTV (formerly Court TV). Inc. Magazine named CABLEready as one of America’s 5000 fastest growing private companies and the highest ranked TV programming company in 2007 and 2008.

CableU – A cable programming research company that on an ongoing basis monitors, analyzes and issues in-depth reports on network performance and programming trends year-round via a team of veteran cable television analysts. Founded in 2006, CableU provides industry professionals with objective, third-party insights on a wide range of topics concerning the ever-changing cable programming landscape. In addition to senior network executives, programmers and researchers using the site for competitive comparative analysis, the site is popular with television producers looking for information on network needs and trends. CableU was created to fill this information gap and level the playing field for producers and the industry at large by making this information easily accessible. For more information please visit www.Cableu.tv.

CABLEready Productions – The company’s newest division, CABLEready Productions provides complete duplication and standard conversion services from and to: HDCAM 1080 60i, HDCAM 1080 50i, Digi NTSC, Digi PAL, Beta SP NTSC, Beta SP PAL, VHS NTSC, VHS PAL, VHS NTSC, VHS PAL, DVD NTSC and DVD PAL formats.

At a recent convention, Mr. Lico was introduced as “someone who is not only IN the business but someone who CARES about the business.” His 30-plus year career has covered all aspects of television programming, development, research, sales, production, education and even talent. In that regard, Mr. Lico is an adjunct professor in the communications department at Syracuse University Newhouse School. He is a regular contributor to Central Michigan University’s School of Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, and came up with the concept for the charitable NATPE Food Project.

Prior to launching CABLEready, Mr. Lico spent seven years at Columbia Pictures Television, as Vice President, Eastern Region, and previously, as Eastern Sales Manager. At Columbia, he was instrumental in generating programming sales to the growing cable industry, taking transactions to cable networks to $42 million in just over three years. Among these were the first major off-network comedy sales to basic cable, My Two Dads (USA Network), and a then record price for an animated series to cable, The Real Ghostbusters (USA Network). During his tenure, he also served as chief liaison to both station representatives (i.e. Telerep, Blair, MMT and major broadcast groups (i.e. Hearst, Gannett, Sinclair, Viacom).

From 1980 to 1985, Mr. Lico was Vice President, Programming for Katz Communications. He led a team of programming consultants in analyzing program purchases and schedules for over 100 Katz-represented television stations and aided those stations in purchasing and scheduling such hits as Wheel of Fortune, Cheers and Little House On The Prairie.

Previously, Mr. Lico worked at TVS Television as Manager of Sales where he guided the company in its transition from sports packager to entertainment syndicator. Earlier, he served as Director of Program Marketing at SFM Entertainment where he launched Disney’s first syndication effort, The New Mickey Mouse Club, as well as the highly successful SFM Holiday Network, helping to establish SFM’s national presence.

Television viewers in Wisconsin may best remember Mr. Lico as the co-host and co-producer of top-rated A New Day, the daily, hour-long talk series on WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee that consistently won its time period beating such prestigious competitors as Donahue.

Mr. Lico also organized the NATPE Food Project, coordinating an impressive list of exhibitors to participate in donating food to the needy. The food project was aimed at distributing leftover food from events at the NATPE Program Conferences and Exhibitions with the help of a locally based organization designed to help feed the city’s hungry. To date the food project has generated donations of nearly ten tons of food in Miami, Las Vegas, and New Orleans.

Mr. Lico’s accomplishments within the broadcasting industry have been recognized with several honors. He has served as the International Radio and Television Society’s (IRTS) Chairman of the Summer Intern Program, the College Conference and the Media Insiders monthly speaking program, and as both the President and Vice President of Alpha Epsilon Rho, the National Honorary Broadcasting Society, increasing the visibility and membership of this group of broadcast professionals and students. Mr. Lico established the CABLEready Graduate Award given to a needy Graduate Student at the prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University over a 15-year period, and now sponsors the school’s annual CABLEready Industry Seminar in New York City. He frequently teaches at SU and Central Michigan University, and serves on the Newhouse School’s Advisory Board.

In December 2006 Gary Lico launched CableU, a service and information using tools that have made these companies respected and loved by their clients and peers. CABLEready’s sales and research tools and the experience of industry veterans authoring the site, all combine to create the CableU service and fill the information gap.

Mr. Lico received his M.S. in TV/Radio/Film from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and his B.A.A. in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts from Central Michigan University. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette Bergh, and their two collegiate sons.

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