#john malone

Also, WBD CEO: We’re doubling down on Harry Potter and that guy who slapped the fuck out of his wife on camera two weeks ago!!!

Band of Brothers screencaps/edits (473/?)

Father John Maloney

I Want My MTV ... Back! 1986

The cable wars begin.

Over the last few years it feels like the fights between cable programmers and cable system have become an almost everyday occurrence. But by midway into the first decade of real consumer cable, a negotiation fight breaking out in public between channel owners and cable system owners was a shocker. They were almost always stoked by the "Darth Vader” of system owners, John Malone of TCI in Denver, at the time the largest cable operator in America. And, he was never shy about using that power to get the deals he wanted.

The cable wars really began around MTV. And MTV won.

The hard won fight was initially with MTV and ESPN, asking/demanding a “per subscriber” fee from cable operators to subsidize the cost of giving them quality programming so that cable could compete with the giant broadcasting networks of CBS, NBC and ABC. But, as you can imagine, the operators were never happy with the arrangement –even though with each new channel the operators would increase the home owner’s cable bill for that price and then some– and for the last 40 some odd years have often tried to reduce the freight of their wholesale costs.

In 1986 the negotiations almost came to an abrupt halt when John Malone said, in effect, “Fine, we don’t need your stinkin’ channel, we’ll shut it off.”

But Bob Pittman, fearless fighter that he is, was not going to take that lying down. Who cares if Malone controls 25% of all the cable homes in the country?! We control the most loyal viewers on television! Was Pittman right? John Malone and the rest of the media industry was about to find out.

First, pretty much overnight we made a spot and started running spots on MTV and VH1, and buying commercials. “If you flip to MTV or VH1, you might not find it.” But that was just the beginning.

MTV corralled the most powerful weapons in it’s arsenal, the rock stars. Anyone that was available in New York or Los Angeles on a moments notice was conscripted. Phil Collins, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart and Paula Abdul, giants of that moment were among those that showed up.

Alan and his team came up with an undeniable visual, all the stars filmed in stark black & white, bathed in shadow.

“Suddenly, everything changed. One minute there was music, the next minute... none. Just like that, they took off MTV. The local cable company, the guy you pay every month. Is it fair to take your MTV away? I think if we all put the pressure on they’re going to have to change their mind. If your MTV is missing, call them. I’d call. Tell them, ‘Don’t make decisions for me. Tell ‘em ‘I want what I paid for. Tell ‘em, “I Want My MTV... BACK.”’“

Wow. The spots really packed a wallop, as you can see and hear. Notice the not to subtle references to the original “I Want My MTV!” campaign that sparked the pop revolution.

“Demand!”

“Call!”

“Your MTV!”

And the capper? Bob threw a free rock concert with MTV stars in Malone’s Denver backyard. Needless to say, MTV was turned back on in a damn hurray. For the past 30 years other programmers have tried similar moves. But until the Super Bowl was threatened –and that was broadcast not cable– the operators were able to beat back most of the efforts.

MTV wins. Actually, it must be said, Pittman wins!

No one else in cable programming really understood the power of consumer loyalty. The conventional wisdom in media had always been that if you had a captive audience that delivered your channel high ratings, it must be that the audience just loves you. There was no one else on cable, until an MTV cadre of executives went to ESPN in the 90s and nurtured their fan relations, who really understood loyalty. Allegiance, faithfulness, fidelity, that’s what it’s all about.

Alan remembers: “The 'I want my MTV back' campaign is interesting because of how many other networks tried to do the same thing when THEY got kicked off during contract negotiations, and utterly failed. The fact is, “demand” was something that always worked for MTV ever since the launch because our viewers felt locked out. Do you think a lot of Lifetime viewers were motivated to grab the phone and call their cable operators when their signal went off?

“I remember Tom Godici, then one of our fantastic, but junior, art directors, with this campaign. I was slated to go direct one of the stars –can’t remember which one– and I walked into Tom’s office and told him to go instead. He was a little surprised and nervous about it, but I told him I trusted him and knew he could do a good job. I loved that about our agency, that we would give people a shot.”

Read about the original “I Want My MTV!” Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and some of its aftermath Part 4, Part 5

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1. In this image Elizabeth Eckford is turned away from Central High School by members of the Arkansas National Guard, called out by Governor Orval Faubus, supposedly to stop riots between Blacks and whites. In fact, the National Guard simply prevented eight Black students from entering Central High School in defiance of a Federal Judge's order. Twenty days later, President Eisenhower sent the U.S. Army in to force the school to integrate, September 4, 1957. Photo credit: Bettmann

2. In this image teenager Elizabeth Eckford is turned away from entering Central High School by Arkansas National Guardsmen under orders from Governor Orval Faubus, 1957. Photo credit: Francis Miller / The LIFE Picture Collection

3.  A policeman forces an unidentified woman into a squad car after violence broke out in Little Rock, Arkansas, when nine Negro students eluded a crowd of angry whites and entered Central High School. Their entrance into the school touched off a walkout of white students, September 25, 1957. Source: The Cavalier Daily / NEA Telephoto

Your favorite sport is Formula One racing? Really? 

You mean the Formula One owned by John Malone? 

The same John Malone who masterminded the $4.4 billion deal for Lionsgate to buy Starz? The same deal that caused Chris Albrecht to shut down your planned reveal of your marriage relationship with Sam? 

The same John Malone who was one of the largest investors in Lionsgate and just retired from their Board of Directors? 

The same John Malone whose Liberty Media was involved in both the IFTAs and the BAFTAs early this year where they made sure to shine a spotlight on a certain faux fiance? 

The same John Malone who saved Priceline when it was in danger of failing (and by default creating a huge debt by spokesman WS that he seems happy to repay by doing anything Malone asks in order to show his gratitude)?  

That John Malone? 

Funny, things have a way of coming full circle, don’t they? 

To channel Claire Fraser, Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, they make it so easy to see that this narrative is coming from the top. 

Private equity firm Silver Lake Partners is reportedly in talks with iHeartMedia’s creditors about buying the company after it emerges from Chapter 11, according to a story in the New York Post. Should the PE firm make an offer, it may want to form a partnership between the radio and streaming giant and arena venue manager Oak View Group, which Silver Lake bought a $100 million stake in earlier this year. Oak View is the entertainment and sports facilities company founded by former Live Nation chief Irving Azoff and former AEG CEO Tim Lieweke. Azoff is no stranger to iHeart, having served on the company’s board of directors from 2010-2017.

Oak View’s Arena Alliance division is partnered with 26 venues in the top 30 markets, including New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Los Angeles Forum. Silver Lake could be eyeing synergies with iHeart’s growing live events business, which ranges from major festivals like the iHeartRadio Music Festival to the travelling Jingle Ball tour.

Silver Lake’s interest comes after iHeart’s creditors on June 15 rejected a $1.16 billion offer from John Malone’s Liberty Media because the bid was too low.

On March 14 iHeart struck an agreement in principle with a group of its lenders on a comprehensive balance sheet restructuring that will reduce its debt by more than $10 billion. Liberty’s offer valued iHeart at $12.9 billion, when factoring in the company’s $10 billion of remaining debt. “Liberty is not going to get iHeart at that price,” a source told The Post. The company’s top creditors peg the company’s valuation between $12 billion-$15 billion, the Post says.

As it works its way through the financial reorganization process, iHeart and its creditors are keeping their options open. The company continues to have “active conversations with other interested parties” and remains “willing to continue dialogue with Liberty,” it said in a June 21 court filing. “It is possible that such efforts result in the debtors obtaining a higher or better offer.”

Formula One revenue for the past YTD is about $900 million. It was purchased in 2016 for $4.4 billion. Formula One has commercial agreements with LVMH, MotoGP and Lego for 2025.