Layer3 TV, the “next generation” cable operator based in Denver, said it has added programming vets Lynne Costantini and Sean Riley to its content advisory board, a group that is led by the company’s recently named chief content officer Lindsay Gardner.
Costantini is the president of business development at TheBlaze, which runs a 24/7 linear television network and TheBlazeTV.com, a direct-to-consumer video streaming subscription service. Costantini previously EVP of affiliate sales and marketing for Scripps Networks Interactive, and was with Time Warner Cable for 12 years in roles that included chief business affairs officer and senior vice president of programming.
Riley is the founder and president of his own content distribution and TV sports consulting firm bearing his name, and is a business development executive at 1 Mainstream, a multiscreen video specialist started up by former Roku, Apple, and TiVo execs. Riley previously was SVP of distribution at Fox Networks, where he led a team that negotiated carriage deals for Fox’s portfolio of networks, including its regional sports nets, the Big Ten Network and MundoFox, among others. Riley, who worked with Gardner at Fox, was also part of the original Hulu launch team.
They are joining the content-facing board as Layer3 TV prepares to launch its service later this year, though the startup has been relatively mum about how its coming service will be packaged and priced, whether it will partner with other cable operators or deliver services on a direct-to-consumer basis. But Layer3 TV, which also operates out of Boston, is emerging amid a new class of "virtual" MVPDs that include Sling TV, Dish Network's slimmed-down OTT service for cord-cutters, and Sony PlayStation Vue, a fuller-freight pay-TV service that has launched in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
“It is in Layer3 TV’s DNA to build collaborative and exciting partnerships with our content providers,” Gardner said, in a statement. “Sean and Lynne joining Layer3 TV’s family brings decades of insights into the needs of consumers, programmers and cable operators.”
“I’ve worked with and for some of the most innovative cable and satellite providers and am energized by Layer3 TV’s ambition to be a next generation cable operator that delivers a superior consumer experience,” said Costantini. “I look forward to bringing my knowledge and sensibilities to the table in guiding Layer3 TV’s programming efforts.”
“I welcome the opportunity to work with Lindsay once again and participate in Layer3 TV’s launch and growth,” added Riley. “I’ve worked closely with nearly every mid-sized cable operator in the US and I hope to share my insights and expertise with Layer3 TV based on those interactions."
Brian Brady, president of Northwest Broadcasting president, National Association of Broadcasters board member, and Fox Affiliate Board Chair Emeritus, was named to Layer3 TV’s content advisory board in February.
