Fox TV Group Alum Gary Newman Joins Attention Capital as Executive Partner

Cynthia Littleton

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Former Fox TV Group chairman Gary Newman has joined Attention Capital, the startup venture launched earlier this year by another Fox alumnus, Joe Marchese.

Newman and another media biz veteran, Lisa Gersh, were named Tuesday as executive partners of Attention Capital. Newman will focus on acquisition and investment opportunities. Marchese, who previously headed advertising sales for Fox, told Variety earlier this year that he aims for the holding company to acquire media brands that encompass consumer connections and new technologies.

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“I’m thrilled by the opportunity to leverage his insights on content curation and technologies that help companies monetize and measure human attention,” said Ashlyn Gentry, co-founder of Attention Capital.

Newman told Variety that his work with Attention Capital is not a full-time job, but he was impressed by Marchese during their tenure together at Fox and believes in his vision of seeking out undervalued brands and finding better audience measurement systems for the new era of multi-platform TV viewing. The company’s interest in acquiring media businesses was also intriguing to Newman.

“After 30 years of operating in the media space, hopefully I have something to offer as they start making those investments,” Newman said.

Attention Capital struck a deal earlier this year with James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems to acquire a controlling interest in Tribeca Enterprises. Newman called Tribeca “a great curating brand” with lots of growth potential.

Newman left Fox in late 2018 after it became clear he would not make the transition to Disney, which acquired 21st Century Fox this year, nor would he have a senior role at the surviving Fox Corp. Newman spent more than 20 years running the 20th Century Fox Television studio with Dana Walden, who is now Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment chairman.

Newman and Walden ran the entertainment side of Fox Broadcasting Co. in addition to the studio operation from 2014-2018.

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