Tom Rogers named new CEO of TiVo

Tom Rogers is in as president and CEO of TiVo and Mike Ramsay is out as chairman, the company said on Monday.

Starting July 1, Rogers will succeed Ramsay, the co-founder of TiVo who announced his intention to step down as CEO in January after seven years in the position. Ramsay said he will continue to serve on TiVo's board, leading the company's technology committee. TiVo said it will conduct a new search for a replacement chairman.

Previously, Rogers was chairman and CEO of media conglomerate Primedia. Before that, he was president of NBC Cable and an executive vice president of NBC, where he helped create CNBC and forge the MSNBC partnership with Microsoft.

Rogers, who has also served as vice chairman of TiVo's board of directors, scored a key digital-video recorder distribution deal with cable provider Comcast earlier this year. The deal helped convince the board that Rogers was the man for the job, the company said.

Other aspects of Rogers' experience may hint at TiVo's future. He also serves as chairman of Teleglobe, a telecommunications firm that specializes in technology that allows people to make phone calls using Internet protocols.

Despite his past successes in running media and Internet companies, however, Rogers faces many challenges in his new role as CEO. While the company helped pioneer the digital video (DVR) category, it continues to face strong competition from cable and satellite TV providers, and from consumer electronics makers who are making similar DVR products.

TiVo's investors have also been skeptical of the company's plans to grow its subscriber base under a fee-based service.

More than 3 million customers pay a monthly fee to use TiVo's DVR service, which lets users pause live TV and, in some cases, move recorded programs to a home computer or portable device.

[Willie Winkie]

Tivo, get ready to be sued

Today's Supreme Court decision in the MGM vs. Grockster case spells your doom. Your product markets the "theft" of TV service by allowing the skipping of commercials. Nice knowing you.

[Willie Winkie]

Tivo, get ready to be sued

Today's Supreme Court decision in the MGM vs. Grockster case spells your doom. Your product markets the "theft" of TV service by allowing the skipping of commercials. Nice knowing you.

[Earl Benser]

Maybe now is the time...

... for TiVo to come up with a worthwhile product. Something needs
to be done, TiVo can't keep bleeding money for much longer.

[Earl Benser]

Maybe now is the time...

... for TiVo to come up with a worthwhile product. Something needs
to be done, TiVo can't keep bleeding money for much longer.