Miramax Pushes into Television

The studio brings television executives Lindsay Gardner and Bob Cook on as strategic advisers to CEO Mike Lang; The two will help build Miramax-branded cable networks

Miramax has brought in two long-time television executives to help develop its own cable networks.

Lindsay Gardner and Bob Cook were named strategic advisers to CEO Mike Lang on Thursday.

According to Maramax, the two will work with executive VP worldwide home entertainment and distribution Eric Doctorow and head of TV/digital sales Joe Patrick "on a broad range of strategic initiatives, including: digital distribution, domestic TV syndication and development of Miramax-branded cable networks."

Gardner was Miramax's lead negotiator in its recent $100 million deal to allow its movies to stream on Netflix. He's also a strategic adviser in private equity. He has raised money and led digital media companies. Before joining Miramax, he was president, affiliate sales and marketing and Fox Cable Networks. He also has worked at Cox Communications.

Cook is a former president of Twentieth Television. He left the company in 2009 and formed MBN Inc., a marketing and consulting firm. At MBN, he worked with traditional broadcasters, local television stations, cable networks and new digital channels.

A cable network is a logical place for Miramax, which has a library of more than 700 movies.

In 2010, Disney sold Miramax to Filmyard Holdings, which is controlled by a group that includes Ronald Tutor and Thomas Barrack.

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