UPDATE: TOLDJA! It’s Official: Chris Albrecht To Head Starz
MONDAY PM EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that Liberty Media chairman John Malone and CEO Greg Maffei are installing former HBO chairman/CEO Chris Albrecht as head of Starz. Sources tell me Albrecht’s title will be CEO (and maybe also president), and the announcement could come as soon as this week. Starz previous CEO Robert Clasen is retiring. 
Albrecht’s appointment is further proof that Starz is fast-tracking its move into more original programming, which was Albrecht’s specialty at HBO ffor 22 years beginning in 1985. In 2007, Albrecht was asked to resign before the Time Warner shareholders meeting after his arrest for allegedly assaulting a woman in Las Vegas brought previous accusations to light in the media. Despite his personal problems, which his pals say he has now overcome, Albrecht is considered a creative and management genius –and just what Starz needs to bring it to the next level.
After he unceremoniously left HBO, Albrecht was named president of IMG Global Media and IMG Entertainment in September 2007 as well as a special limited partner of Forstmann Little & Co. But Albrecht left a year later when IMG/Forstmann didn’t deliver on the financial promises made to him, like a $250 million fund for investments in media and entertainment content which Albrecht would oversee. But it was while there that Albrecht first met with Starz execs and later again when Albrecht founded Foresee Entertainment, an independent content creator. Soon, Foresee had its first series commitment — a Starz hour-long NYC fashion drama.
News reports have said Starz intends to have at least 90 minutes’ worth of original programming on the air weekly by 2011. Since his break with HBO, he’s been waiting for the right opportunity to come along, and this sounds like it. Albrecht, of course, oversaw HBO’s hugely successful and often high quality original series like Sex And The City, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Band Of Brothers, The Wire, Da Ali G Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, Deadwood, and others to re-brand HBO as much more than just showing movies. He also propelled HBO into a juggernaut at Emmy time, and soon the pay channel was beating oiut the broadcast networks for awards.
- SHOCKER! Chris Albrecht Is Out At IMG
- Mark Burnett “Seriously” Talking To IMG
- Chris Albrecht Lands Big Deal to Become Big Deal At IMG
- Now Rumors Begin What Chris’ll Do Next
- HKO’ed! Chris Albrecht Dumped Before TW Shareholders Meeting
- Chris Albrecht Blames Alcohol & Takes Leave From HBO After Las Vegas Arrest
- What Happens In HBO, Stays In HBO… But Should It?
Uh oh, Showtime better watch its back. And Starz better lock up the liquor.
Despite his transgressions, they should have sent him to therapy, not the unemployment office.
It’s nice that Starz wants to put Chris Albrecht back to work after his fall from grace. However, leaping to a description that he is a ‘genius’ is a bit much.
I’m conflicted. You hate to see people who have behaved, repeatedly, like entitled, belligerent assholes meet with success. On the other hand, I do like a good show.
Getting Chris Albrecht to be their CEO is a Hannukah-Christmas present for STARZ. Notwithstanding his problems (let he who is without…etc.) Chris has an exceptional track record in both spotting and shepherding writers, producers and talent. We were colleagues at ICM in the 80’s, at a time when eminence gris Lee Gabler was head of the TV department, and Chris excelled at unearthing and nurturing new comics and transitioning them into TV. He then applied those skills, with great success, to series and long-form at HBO. In the spirit of the season, I wish him well.
A legendary prick and a total genius. With HBO falling a distant second to Showtime, and neither really putting top-shelf dramas on the air, this could be a big opening. If he gets HBO-type development money
Nice catch by Malone/Maffei. Is the push for original content to replace the first-run movies facing more competition from other outlets?
Nice to see another indication confirming the value and importance of original content. Enough with reality-tv and everything is free.
Good. Maybe he will bring back “Deadwood” to at least finish the story.
Please, people. “Watch your back Showtime”??? Whatever. You’re comparing a man who has bounced around town for the last four years to the single best TV Development Exec of the last decade, Bob Greenblatt. As I’m sure Mr. Albrecht will tell you, Bob doesn’t need to look out for anyone. He built Showtime into number one, and he’ll do the same elsewhere if they ever let him go. Good luck to Chris, but he won’t touch Greenblatt/Showrtime….
I’m no fan of this drunk, angry dwarf but Showtime and HBO have been doing crappy rip-offs of Albrecht style of programming (Brotherhood, anyone?) Everybody should watch their backs, including the brilliant Mr. Greenblatt. Chris is the smartest prick in town.
Albrecht does have a legal history of beating up women. First his HBO office paramour and then his non office one.
Not many women writers or directors ever hired at HBO under his watch.
Hope he has had some rehab and therapy. For the sake of those working with him.