Gary Gannaway

Last updated
Gary Gannaway
Gary Gannaway.png
Gannaway at the 2009 Digital Hollywood
Born
Albert Carlyle Gannaway III

(1954-07-30) July 30, 1954 (age 69)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation(s) Chairman & CEO,
Gannaway Holdings
ChildrenSamantha Gannaway Alexis Gannaway
Parent
  • Albert Carlyle Gannaway II (father)

Gary Gannaway (born Albert Carlyle Gannaway III on July 30, 1954) is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. [1] Gannaway received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young and Inc. magazine in its inaugural year. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Gannaway was born Albert Carlyle Gannaway III in Los Angeles, California on July 30, 1954, the son of Albert Carlyle Gannaway Jr. and Dana Gibson Gannaway. [3] Albert was a businessman. He controlled Gannaway Corporation and produced several well known motion picture films along with the "Stars of the Grand Ole Opry" which featured many legendary country music stars including Chet Atkins, Marty Robbins, June Carter, Minnie Pearl, Jimmy Dickens, and many others. [4] Albert was the first to produce a television series using 35mm color film when television was exclusively in black and white. [4] Albert was a famous songwriter who wrote with Johnny Mercer. Albert wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Cole, Bob Hope, Frankie Lane, Frank Sinatra, and many others. [5]

His mother, Dana Gannaway, is a former Vogue model and Budweiser Girl. [6]

Gannaway is best known for the Grand Ole Opry show. The footage and rights his two grandchildren own. From his father, Gary learned the fundamentals of business. [1]

Gannaway attended Castle Heights Military Academy followed by three years of service in the Marine Corps. [3] [7] In 1974, Gannaway was one of 18 men in the Marines Elite Force Recon. [3]

Career

Early career

After the Marines, Gannaway joined Metromedia Producers Corporation and quickly became the top seller.[ citation needed ]

In June 1980, Gannaway left Metromedia to start his first company selling his father's show, Country Classics. He went on to sell Time-Life shows as well, including G.I. Diary and Wild, Wild World of Animals. His experience selling syndication led to Gannaway founding Genesis Entertainment less than three years later with his own capital.

Genesis Entertainment

In 1982, Gannaway founded Genesis Entertainment. It is the only company to have launched all pilots and shows it brought to the marketplace, which included over 22 series such as The Marvel Action Hour , The Whoopi Goldberg Show , National Geographic Specials , Access Hollywood , Spider-Man , Highway to Heaven , Grand Ole Opry Stars of the 50s , CBS' Top Cop , The Judge , Biker Mice from Mars , Paradise Beach , Real Stories of the Highway Patrol, HBO's Tales from The Crypt, ABC's Emergency Call, among others. [8] [9] Genesis became the first company to launch 100 percent of its pilots in an industry where, at the time, only 3 percent of TV pilots made it to series. [10] With Classic Country in 1983, Genesis was the first syndication company to provide co-op dollars to stations, which were then used to help promote the show. [7] Genesis is believed to be one of the first syndication companies to service the ad sales department of participating stations, helping them capture more local advertising dollars. The company also helped stations research local markets and develop sales programs to attract upscale advertisers. [10]

Gannaway introduced the marketing concept of bartering off-network series in the late afternoon/early evening timeslot with Highway to Heaven in 1989. [11] Instead of paying Genesis in cash, stations would get seven minutes of local advertising per episode and give Genesis five. [3] A number of major series adapted Gannaway model, now an industry standard, including Columbia Pictures Television's hit sitcom Designing Women and Warner Bros. Television's Family Matters have been marketed on a barter basis. [11] Gannaway's marketing efforts and contributions helped Genesis become one of the largest suppliers of national syndication ad units in the early 1990s. During the 1992-93 TV season, Genesis sold 9,412 30-second spots to national advertisers. [10]

On May 21, 1993, Gannaway merged Genesis with Ronald Perelman taking the company public and later selling to FOX. [12]

WorldNow

Gannaway founded Worldnow which became the leading provider of digital content management and monetization platforms, recognized for its patent-pending Studio Gateway platform, which unifies linear and digital workflow. Gannaway founded Worldnow seeing television companies' inevitable shift the digital world. [2] Gannaway beat out its competittors such as ABC,CBS and NBC, which provided hardware solutions. Gannaway pioneered a cloud software solution, which is now known as cloud- based computing, along with a new business model, now called software as a service (SaaS). Gannaway's different business approach drove Worldnow's success, which later put his competitors out of business and turned them into clients. Today, all media companies use cloud and SaaS - a concept Worldnow brought to market in 1998. It is now industry standard.

WorldNow's proprietary technology provides media companies the digital tools for all digital and streaming platforms. [2] [8] The patented technology the company developed is a cloud-based, Saas, Paas, IaaS platform that unifies all digital systems into one. It is the only company to develop and integrate its video platform with its content management system (CMS).

Gannaway's company advertising arm became the largest Google advertising client. When Gannaway founded Worldnow, he took page out of his former company, Genesis, and kept half the digital advertising inventory and charged a license fee. On October 7, 2013, the company and Google held a joint conference. In 2015, Worldnow was ranked in the Top 50 largest digital platforms by comScore media matrix - ahead of giants such as Disney. [13] The company reached almost 1/2 of the U.S. population daily. [13] In 2015, Gannaway sold to SK Telecom.

Awards, recognition and achievement

Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young, and Inc. named Gannaway "Entertainment Entrepreneur of the Year". [14] It was the first time the trio had ever named an Entrepreneur of the Year from the entertainment business. [11]

Gannaway sat on the board of Johns Hopkins. During this time, Gannaway co-pioneered and funded hypertonic solution to break up brain clots. This is now industry standard.[ citation needed ]

In 2009 Gannaway was chosen by Wharton University to participate in its Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, mentoring undergraduates and MBA candidates then considering careers as entrepreneurs. [11]

In January 2015 WorldNow received top honors for its innovation and product advancement by the Business Intelligence Group. Worldnow was recognized for its patent-pending Studio Gateway platform.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<i>Grand Ole Opry</i> Country music concert and radio and television program in Nashville, Tennessee, US

The Grand Ole Opry is an American weekly live country music radio broadcast from – and a several nights per week performance held at – the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment, it is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and internet listeners.

Orion Releasing, LLC is an American film production and distribution company co-owned by Amazon through Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, the company produced and released films from 1978 until 1999 and was also involved in television production and syndication throughout the 1980s until the early 1990s. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former senior executives at United Artists. From its founding until its buyout by MGM in the late 1990s, Orion was considered one of the largest mini-major studios.

The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, game shows, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows. On September 25, 2000, after an attempt to attract younger viewers failed, TNN's country music format was changed and the network was renamed The National Network, eventually becoming Spike TV in 2003 and Paramount Network in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metromedia</span> Defunct American media company

Metromedia was an American media company that owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1956 to 1986 and controlled Orion Pictures from 1988 to 1997. Metromedia was established in 1956 after the DuMont Television Network ceased operations and its owned-and-operated stations were spun off into a separate company. Metromedia sold its television stations to News Corporation in 1985, and spun off its radio stations into a separate company in 1986. Metromedia then acquired ownership stakes in various film studios, including controlling ownership in Orion. In 1997, Metromedia closed down and sold its media assets to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTTV</span> Fox West Coast flagship station in Los Angeles

KTTV is a television station in Los Angeles, California, United States, serving as the West Coast flagship of the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside MyNetworkTV outlet KCOP-TV. Both stations share studios at the Fox Television Center in West Los Angeles, while KTTV's transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2929 Entertainment</span> American mass media company

2929 Entertainment, LLC. is an American integrated media and entertainment company co-founded by billionaire entrepreneurs Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. 2929 maintains companies and interests across several industries including entertainment development and packaging, film and television production and distribution, digital and broadcast syndication, theatrical exhibition, and home entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSM (AM)</span> Country music radio station in Nashville, Tennessee

WSM is a commercial AM radio station, located in Nashville, Tennessee. It broadcasts a country music format and is known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the world's longest running radio program. The station is owned Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. WSM currently operates out of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, and visitors to the hotel may look into the studio 24 hours a day, provided the curtains are open, which they usually are.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNYW</span> Fox flagship station in New York City

WNYW is a television station in New York City, serving as the flagship of the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside Secaucus, New Jersey–licensed MyNetworkTV flagship WWOR-TV. Both stations share studios at the Fox Television Center on East 67th Street in Manhattan's Lenox Hill neighborhood, while WNYW's transmitter is located at One World Trade Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFLD</span> Fox-owned television station in Chicago, Illinois

WFLD is a television station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, serving as the market's Fox network outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside Gary, Indiana–licensed MyNetworkTV outlet WPWR-TV. Both stations share studios on North Michigan Avenue in the Chicago Loop, and transmitter facilities atop the Willis Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ELP Communications</span> American television production company

ELP Communications was an American television production company that originally began in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metromedia Square</span> Radio and television facility in Hollywood, California, USA

Metromedia Square was a radio and television studio facility located at 5746 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California on the southeastern corner of Sunset and Van Ness Avenue in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. For decades, it was recognizable by the white, ladder-like snake on the building's roof. This work of art was called "Starsteps" and was dismantled when ownership of the building changed hands in 2000. It was one of the Los Angeles landmarks that had previous landmark status in the late 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MGM Television</span> Television studio arm of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Television, previously known as MGM/UA Television, is the television studio arm of American media company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) specializing in broadcast syndication and the production and distribution of television shows and miniseries.

Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. is a hotel, resort, entertainment, and media company named after National Historic Landmark the Ryman Auditorium, built as a tabernacle by Captain Thomas G. Ryman in 1892 and later the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The hospitality group was founded by Edward Gaylord. Prior to its public ownership, it was previously a subsidiary of the Oklahoma City-based Oklahoma Publishing Company, which was formerly owned by the Gaylord family for 71 years until 2011. The OPUBCO company was once the longtime publisher of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Until 2012, the company was known as Gaylord Entertainment Company, and earlier as Gaylord Broadcasting Company. The company has operated as a real estate investment trust since October 1, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20th Television</span> American television production company

20th Television is an American television production company that is a division of Disney Television Studios, part of The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment distributes the television series produced by 20th Television in home media formats through the 20th Century Home Entertainment banner.

Nashville! was a commercial radio channel on XM Satellite Radio. It was located on XM 57(previously 11) and plays a wide range of country music hits from the early 1990s through today. The channel was programmed out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Advertising sales are handled by Premiere Radio Networks. It was programmed by Kent Terry.

CBS Media Ventures is the television broadcast syndication arm of the CBS Entertainment Group division of Paramount Global. founded on September 26, 2006 by CBS Corporation from a merger of CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions.

Keith Bilbrey is an American country music disc jockey and television host in Nashville, Tennessee. He served as a disc jockey at Nashville's WSM, as an announcer on the Grand Ole Opry, and as the host of TNN’s Grand Ole Opry Live. He is also the show announcer for Huckabee, a variety show hosted by Mike Huckabee, on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

WorldNow was a New York-based software company founded by Gary Gannaway. WorldNow offered an integrated media platform enabling broadcasters, operators, and media companies to create, acquire, manage, analyze, monetize and distribute media assets across all digital platforms and on-air systems in a unified, end-to-end workflow. Through its turnkey multi-tenant software-as-a-service solution, WorldNow unified web content management, IP video management and delivery, mobile, over-the-top, analytics, social and advertising in one integrated solution. WorldNow's customers included CBS, COX Communications, Dispatch, Fox Television, Meredith Corporation, Media General and Raycom Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circle Country</span> Country music and lifestyle internet-based TV platform channel

Circle Country, previously known as Circle, is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service owned by Circle Media, LLC, a venture of Ryman Hospitality Properties, a subsidiary of Opry Entertainment Group. The network's programming consists of country music oriented shows, and rural/blue collar themed material, featuring a mix of original and off-network shows.

Synamedia Ltd. is a video technology provider headquartered in Staines-upon-Thames, UK. Its products cover content distribution and delivery, video processing, advanced advertising, broadband offerings, and video security.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Archives". Los Angeles Times .
  2. 1 2 3 "WorldNow's Gary Gannaway: TV Stations' Web Guru". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on 2015-05-08.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Block, Alex (1989). "Gannaways Genesis". Channels.
  4. 1 2 "Albert C. Gannaway Jr. Obituary (2008) New York Times". Legacy.com .
  5. ↑ "Gannaway Spearheads Special Projects". The Courier News. Blytheville, Arkansas. 20 May 1969.
  6. ↑ "Gary Gannaway Preaching the Promise of Genesis" (PDF). American Radio History: Broadcasting Magazine. 28 August 1989. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Speaker Bio: Gary Gannaway". NATPE. 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  8. 1 2 "The Web is a Different World Now". TV News Check. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Our Team". IBillow. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 Mandose, Joe (1993). "Genesis finishes what it starts". Advertising Age.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Haley, Kathy (1993). "Genesis Entertainment: A Perfect 10, 19830-1993". Broadcasting & Cable.
  12. ↑ "Archives". Los Angeles Times .
  13. 1 2 Jessell, Harry A. (2017-11-02). "Gannaway Suing WorldNow Buyer For $15M". TV News Check. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  14. ↑ INC Staff (1 December 1992). "Regional Entrepreneurs of the Year". INC Magazine.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.