Garth Ancier

Garth Ancier (born 3 September 1957 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey ["Who's Who". 2008 ed., Vol. 1, p. 94] ) is the President of BBC Worldwide America.

Early life

Ancier began his broadcasting career as a high school in 1972, working as a reporter for NBC radio affiliates WBUD-AM and WBJH-FM in Trenton, New Jersey. In radio, he created American Focus, a weekly national interview program carried by over 200 radio stations in the U.S., including New York's WNBC. Ancier served as executive producer and host of over 250 episodes through 1979, each featuring a full-length career retrospective interview with guests ranging from Ayn Rand to Henry Fonda to David Brinkley. The show continued production for 17 years, and many of the programs are part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Television and Radio.

Career

Ancier's network television career began in 1979 when NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff hired him as a program associate. He rose quickly through the ranks and supervised production of the network's top comedies including The Cosby Show, Cheers, Family Ties and Golden Girls. From October 1991 through July 1992, Ancier served as the Television Consultant to the Democratic National Committee, specifically to advise on the television presentation of the Convention in New York and reporting to DNC Chairman Ron Brown. In that role, Ancier introduced political convention format innovations, such as a 56-screen "videowall" integrated into the convention podium and program, to such forums for the first time. He also served as The WB’s chief programmer from 1994-99. Also, beginning in 1999, Ancier served as President of NBC Entertainment. Ancier returned to The WB as Co-Chairman in September 2003. He was also the Chairman of the WB Television Network from May 2004 until its merger with UPN in September 2006.

Notable Achievements

* Garth Ancier is noted for expanding BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of channels, which currently comprises the cable channel BBC America, now in more than 54 million homes; and working with U.S. networks on behalf of LA-based BBC Worldwide Productions.

* Ancier also manages BBC Worldwide’s U.S. TV and video sales business introduction of BBC Worldwide’s web-based program delivery system, bbc.com, which is currently in the process of approval.

* Ancier ran In2TV, the Warner Bros./AOL broadband television network.

* He is one of the only two executives in the history of television (Fred Silverman being the other) to head three different network entertainment divisions: NBC, FOX and The WB. His career includes being th President of Production at Walt Disney Television; creator and executive producer of the talk show Ricki Lake; television consultant for the 1992 Democratic National Convention, and chief programming strategist to CNN Networks (CNN/US, CNN Headline News and CNN International) and all of the TBS entertainment networks.

* Ancier helped shape the broadcast service targeted for teens and young adults by developing and overseeing production of key hits like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson’s Greek, 7th Heaven, The Jamie Foxx Show, Charmed and Felicity.

* Before rejoining the WB in 2003, Ancier served as Executive Vice President, Programming, for cable giant Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. At Turner, Ancier helped CNN by implementing a new strategy of name brand, appointment programming that included the development of new series like American Morning, Newsnight and Anderson Cooper 360, adding news stars Aaron Brown, Paula Zahn, Connie Chung and Soledad O’Brien to the anchor roster, bolstered the profile of Wolf Blitzer as a key anchor, and introduced Anderson Cooper to the network.
* On the entertainment side, he re-focused TBS and TNT to serve distinct audiences, and expanded the footprint of the “Adult Swim” block on Cartoon Network.

* At NBC, Ancier scheduled such series as The West Wing, and Third Watch. During that time he also developed Ed, , Scrubs and Fear Factor.
* During the late 1980s, Ancier was a founder at the creation and launch of Fox Broadcasting Company, serving as that network's first President of Programming. He developed and scheduled a new brand of television programming with hits such as The Simpsons, Married…with Children, In Living Color and 21 Jump Street.

* Ancier is a graduate of Princeton University and a native of New Jersey. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Council of Families and Television, and has served on the Hall of Fame Selection Committee for The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the AOL Time Warner Foundation Board, the Governor's Board of the Hollywood Radio and Television Society (HRTS), and the Board of Trustees of the National Association of College Broadcasters. He was the recipient of the 2004 Spirit of Hope Award at The Help Group's 8th Annual Teddy Bear Ball.

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