CABLEready

In 1994, CABLEready provided Bravo with "Inside the Actors Studio," the network's first original production - a big part of the company's early growth, according to Lico. After that, the company started to provide original programming to leading U.S. cable networks. In 2000, CABLEready's "Forensic Files," a sibling series to TLC's "medical Detectiv... es," launched on Court TV and remains one of its flagship series. But in addition to development deals, CABLEready has landed international distribution deals with top program providers like Court TV, New York Times Television, TV Guide Channel, Lionsgate, Outdoor life Network, the Weather Channel and Burrud Productions. "There's this perception of CABLEready, in our business, that we are so much bigger than we really are," said Sabrina Sanchez-Ayala, 29, vice president of sales and marketing. "We're a global company. People are usually amazed when they find out how small we really are." The company has nine employees, including Lico. It began, however, with Lico and a PowerBook in his Riverside home after he left his position as vice president of the eastern region with Columbia Pictures Television, where he worked for seven years. During his time at Columbia, Lico was instrumental in generating programming sales to the cable industry, taking cable transactions to $42 million in just over three years. "Our company (Columbia) was the first studio to really open up its vaults and start selling to cable networks," explained the 30-year broadcast veteran. "I was interested in that and I felt there was a business there. A husband and father of three young boys at the time, took a risk by not renewing his contract with Columbia and launching CABLEready. It was Hearst Broadcasting that gave Lico his first program, "Capelli and Company," a children's show. Within six weeks, Lico, though he was the third company trying to sell the program, found a buyer - Nickelodeon. "It was the first and only locally produced kids show (Nickelodeon) had ever bough. And that's what put us ...Read More