John Weiser Continues as President, Distribution, Sony Pictures Television

John Weiser Continues as President, Distribution, Sony Pictures Television

CULVER CITY, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- John Weiser has been reupped as president, distribution, Sony Pictures Television (SPT), it was announced today by Steve Mosko, president, SPT, to whom Weiser continues to report.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080424/LATH509LOGO)

In this capacity, Weiser oversees all domestic sales operations for SPT, including sales of feature films produced by Sony Pictures, first-run and off-network syndicated programs and library titles to U.S. broadcast networks, cable networks and television station groups, Pay TV, satellite companies and cable MSOs, including VOD and pay-per-view. He also directs all distribution of SPT product to the Spanish language networks serving U.S. markets.

Weiser manages the personnel and operations of four regional offices located in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Atlanta.

Under his aegis, SPT has recently extended the studio's output deal with Starz to 2013 and made a significant movie library deal with them. His team has also sold Judge Karen, the studio's latest addition to their court lineup, premiering this fall in 95% of the country, and recently extended the run of The King of Queens in broadcast through 2016. Weiser's group created and implemented a competitive ratings database for 35,000 movies and he is credited with creating The Minisode Network.

"John is in a unique position at SPT, managing so many distribution windows in a quickly changing marketplace," said Mosko. "His relationships and expertise set him apart," Mosko continued, "and his innovative thinking, such as the idea behind The Minisode Network, make him a terrific executive."

SPT and Harpo Productions recently announced that the studio will be co-producing and distributing a new first-run talk show starring Dr. Oz, the renowned and popular surgeon, educator, and best-selling author who appears regularly on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The series will premiere in Fall 2009.

Joining the company in 1990 as account executive, west coast, Weiser became division manager in 1992. In 1995, he was promoted to vice president, west coast, managing all sales activities for the regional office. In 1999, Weiser was named senior vice president, sales for Columbia TriStar Television Distribution, expanding his duties to include sales of SPE's vast library. With more than 400 television series and 5,000 films, it is the largest catalogue of its kind. Weiser became executive vice president, Sony Pictures Television in 2002.

Before joining the studio, Weiser served as senior vice president, Guber-Peters Entertainment and as head of sales for Chuck Barris Entertainment. His television career began at Tribune Broadcasting, where he oversaw its northeast and Midwest sales offices.

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. SPT also owns one-half of cable channel GSN and is a partner in FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service. Sony Pictures Television oversees all of Sony Pictures Entertainment's (SPE) domestic digital distribution efforts across all electronically delivered platforms, including the internet and mobile. Sony Pictures Television, advertiser sales, is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States, for Sony BMG and for iN DEMAND's high-definition channel Mojo and the Tennis Channel, and is part owner of national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT (http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com/) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080424/LATH509LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Sony Pictures Television

CONTACT: Paula Askanas, +1-310-244-3790, for Sony Pictures Television

Web site: http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com/

---

Profile: International Entertainment