Ron Garfield has been selected to head FremantleMedia’s forthcoming digital game show network BUZZR TV. Officially, his title will be Executive Vice President and General Manager for the channel coming this summer to all 17 Fox owned-and-operated markets.
BUZZR boasts more than 40,000 hours of game shows, including “Family Feud,” “Let’s Make A Deal,” “To Tell The Truth,” “Password,” “Match Game,” “Beat the Clock,” “What’s My Line,” “Blockbusters” and “Card Sharks.”
“I am thrilled to be joining Thom Beers and his team at FremantleMedia,” Garfield said. “BUZZR TV is a dynamic vehicle for FMNA to make its entry into the channels space, offering viewers a fun, entertaining and a nostalgic ride through some of the best game shows of our time. For advertisers, BUZZR provides a family-friendly platform, and for our affiliate partners, a new source of revenue.”
Previously, at NATPE, FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) CEO Thom Beers said the following: “Launching BUZZR TV and growing its footprint is one of the top priorities for the business this year,” said Beers. “It was essential for me to appoint an executive with a strong record of launching secondary channels and growing their penetration in the market. Ron’s extensive background in this area, as well as his innate passion for BUZZR, made him the right choice to join me in leading this endeavor.”
Most recently, Garfield was with Sony Pictures Television where he served as the Chief Revenue Officer for FEARnet and Senior Vice President of Distribution for Sony Movie Channel and Cine Sony.
Prior to that, Garfield served as the founding Chief Operating Officer for Ovation TV, where he oversaw all revenue generating functions and network operations. He was part of the team that helped to secure the private equity funding necessary to launch and establish Ovation TV as the only arts network in the U.S. cable market.
Garfield has also held executive positions at Hallmark Channel, serving as the Senior Vice President of Network Distribution and Service, as well as Fox Broadcasting, where he served as the Senior Vice President of Network Distribution.