King Silva King of Kings
Number of posts : 32652 Age : 34 Location : Sacramento, California Favorite WWE Wrestler : ---
Current and Former:
The Rock, JoMo, Ziggler, Edge, Orton, Y2J, Hardyz, + Rhodes! Favorite WWE Diva : -------
ALL TIME
# 1} Lita
# 2} Trish Stratus
# 3} Mickie James
# 4} Gail Kim
# 5} Michelle McCool
Favorite TNA Wrestler : ----
Favorite TNA Knockout : --- Registration date : 2009-09-30
| Subject: WWE Network Woes Continue Fri 02 Mar 2012, 6:01 am | |
| http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_58728.shtml
The New York Post reported on WWE's woes attempting to get WWE Network off the ground, and included quotes from cable TV executives questioning whether the Network initiative is the right move for WWE.
The Post cited sources that say WWE has "yet to strike a single deal with a cable or satellite TV provider to carry its own cable channel." The other issues are WWE's inability to hire high-ranking executives to manage the Network and WWE's content having a narrow appeal.
“WWE has the programming and marketing muscle, but they just have no one with cable experience who can execute for them,” said one cable executive.
“Given the content issues, I think a whole channel would be a stretch,” said Gerri Donini, senior vice president broadcast at media-buying shop R.J. Palmer. “It is very limited in who it reaches.”
The Post also reported WWE is "expected to hire" 200 employees specific to the Network. WWE CFO George Barrios said in the quarterly conference call with investors that WWE has hired 40-45 employees.
The report cites information from WWE's fourth quarter 2011 earnings results, which saw WWE take a rare quarterly loss mainly because of initial Network expenses and the company's other project, WWE Studios.
Link: Full story at NYPost.com . URL: http://nyp.st/zOJGj2 .
Caldwell's Analysis: It's not the type of press WWE is looking for in their "home" New York market, especially when they need high-ranking executives to want to join the Network, not be scared away, but the picture painted by industry experts is not pretty. WWE CEO Vince McMahon was soft in his verbiage last week about future plans for the Network, and it may be in WWE's best interest to consider a hybrid model or online-heavy model that does not require the presence of a 24/7 Network on cable TV. It would be an ego blow for McMahon, though. | |
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