Ride TV, an equestrian-focused programmer, has hired veteran executive Peter Clifford as senior vice president of distribution, responsible for distribution within the United States and territories. Michael Trujillo, who had headed distribution, now will focus on international markets as SVP of international distribution, the network said.
Clifford most recently was senior vice president of distribution at RFD-TV, where he negotiated linear and digital distribution agreements and oversaw affiliate marketing, Ride said. His distribution experience also includes five years at World Wrestling Entertainment as SVP of distribution and affiliate marketing, where he built the pre-curser to the WWE Network, WWE Classics On Demand, as well as overseeing all PPV agreements and affiliate marketing. Clifford also served as the regional VP and general manager at Golf Channel, Ride said.
“Ride TV feels very fortunate to have someone with Peter's experience leading our domestic distribution efforts. It's not very often you find someone who has this many years in the cable distribution business, but to also have experience in a very similar genre and market is incredibly lucky for us,” Craig Morris, president of Ride TV, said in a release. “It's a tough marketplace for independent channels and everyone is looking for an advantage, and we at Ride TV feel that, with Peter's relationships, we should be able to accelerate that process greatly."
Clifford said in the release: “I look forward to working with the team at Ride TV and helping them grow the service. With all of the change happening in our industry today, from streaming and authentication technology to the discussions in Washington, and the dire need for MVPD’s to acquire and retain customers, I believe there is a unique opportunity to 'reinforce' the value of strong niche programming. Ride TV is in a unique position to deliver.”
