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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Seth Palansky, NFL, 212/450-2422
COPLIN NAMED NFL NETWORK
PROGRAMMING VP; NFL Senior Director of Broadcasting Charles Coplin has been selected to serve as NFL Network’s Vice President of Programming, network President and CEO Steve Bornstein announced today. Bornstein also announced the hiring of YES Network Director of Programming Daniel Margulis, who will serve as NFL Network’s Director of Program Acquisitions. “Programming is the key that opens the door to both our fans and our distribution partners,” said Bornstein. “We are very excited about the team we’re assembling on the programming side to lead the NFL into the cable and satellite television business.” NFL Network has an initial carriage agreement with DIRECTV’s basic service that is seen in more than 11.4 million homes. NFL Network will air seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and will be the first television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football when it is launched this fall. Coplin brings extensive television industry experience to NFL Network. A former Coordinating Producer for ABC Sports, where he spent ten years, Coplin has been at the NFL in New York for the past two years working with the league’s television partners on scheduling, programming and related matters. Coplin also works closely with NFL Films and NFL teams to coordinate local broadcasting initiatives of the 32 clubs. In his new role, Coplin’s knowledge of the league, teams, network partners and NFL Films will help NFL Network make informed programming decisions aimed at attracting the broadest possible audience. He will be responsible for developing and maintaining the vision, master plan and budget for all programming and be in charge of acquiring, developing and approving all content. Coplin will continue to work out of league headquarters in New York City. Coplin, 40, has extensive knowledge of football and television production. At ABC he worked on three Super Bowls and was Coordinating Producer for ABC’s College Football studio show for six years, where he was instrumental in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) telecasts, handling all pregame, halftime and postgame studio shows. Coplin played a key role in producing the network’s overall sports programming. His experience at ABC included Wide World of Sports, Monday Night Football, two World Cups, the World League, the Pan American Games and the Goodwill Games. Coplin’s broad background includes stints at ESPN, MTV Networks, NBC, and working for noted film director Martin Scorsese. Margulis joins NFL Network after spending the past 18 months launching and programming the YES Network in New York, where he worked with various leagues and conferences, negotiated and acquired rights to content, and oversaw scheduling and programming plans. His NFL Network duties will focus on program acquisition, from identification, evaluation and negotiation, to scheduling. Margulis will be responsible for acquiring on-air product and monitoring terms of programming agreements. A 10-year television veteran, Margulis worked at ABC Sports as a programming director, handling day-to-day scheduling and league relationships with the NFL, college football, NHL, motor sports and extreme sports, in addition to negotiating World Cup, MLS, Little League World Series and World Track & Field agreements. Prior to ABC, Margulis spent 6 ˝ years at ESPN in programming, where he scheduled more than 100 college football games a year on ESPN and ESPN2. Margulis holds a Masters of Science degree in Sports Management from University of Massachusetts. He resides in New York City and will work at league headquarters in Manhattan. NFL Network will provide 365 days a year of NFL and football-related programming. With original shows, 100 million feet of film in the NFL Films library and preseason games, NFL Network will be a cable and satellite channel serving a broad audience with in-depth, innovative and compelling programming made possible by its unique access to America’s most popular sport. # # # |