New Position - "UK VOD LLP"

I'm able to say where I'm heading - I'm the new CTO for a company currently known as 'UK VOD, LLP" which is a joint venture between the BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 to supply VOD content to the UK market

There are some rather non-trivial regulatory issues with the company which makes this position just a wee bit risky, all of which are summarized here.

This will either be a great thing for me or my shortest career to date. I can't worry too much about the issues at hand and will let the legal groups figure it out and hope for the best. In the mean time I've got a product to help build and I'm looking forward to getting into it come Monday.

My first meetings are ironically on the west coast so I do not arrive in London until next weekend.

Leaving CBS

After 3,057 days (8 years, 4 months and 12 days to be exact, but who's counting...) today is my last day at CBS.

It's been an intersting run. Though my title remained largely the same, I've had about as many jobs here as I've had years of service. Recalling back to the summer of 2000 with the first Survivor series I would never have guessed I would still be here in 2008, but you just go with the flow.

Leaving CBS in a completely different place than when I started, it's a real business now and with the CNET merger promises to be a much larger one. Certainly, I can not take credit for where we are, though I'd like to think I played at least a small role.

For all CTOs there comes a time where you've done all you can do and it's time for new challenges. It is good to leave at the right time both personally and professionally.

I'd like to thank everyone I've worked for and with over the years as I've learned a lot.

For those of you that worked in my varous areas: I'd especially like to thank you as you made me look good. I just played the role of the train conductor on the "small screen".

What's up next?

I'll be public with what I'm doing next in a few weeks, but what I can say right now is that I am heading to London.

Should be interesting living on the other side of the pond. Marina and the kids are staying in the US for now due to the way things came about. Will be back and forth a lot but such is life...

Staff with too much time on their hands

I've worked with some interesting folks at CBS over the last 8+ years, some of whom apparently have too much time on their hands.

Jason Ainspan, who always has a habit of finding the most 'unique' pictures and/or youtube clips to just about every situation put the following two things together for me. Best to start with this lead in here - I'm being played by Alex Baldwin and Jason is played by Affleck

This flash file in particular is, well, you have to see it yourself. I can not imagine listening to myself in the various places he found me speaking, let alone cutting the audio clips of all these words.

Back from Amsterdam

We had a good week in/around Amsterdam and returned yesterday. Was strange not being with the twins for a week, they were very happy to see us when we got back. As is usual on return from Europe, went to sleep early and got up early. Hopefully back on US time tomorrow. Somehow it seems easier coming back?

Granted, that could be due to the fact that it's easier to sleep in one's own bed. Could also be due to the fact we didn't go out last night to a convention party.

Amsterdam

Marina and I arrived this morning in Amsterdam. I'm attending IBC and taking care of a few things. We've never been here before so got Marina's parents to watch the kids and we came alone. First trip for the two of us sans children in a long time.

Few days in Amsterdam, then heading to Rotterdam and the Hague and then return to New York on Thursday

Been silent lately

A bunch of stuff has been going on which I've not been able to go public on just yet. Will be able to in the coming weeks and then will be picking this up again on a regular basis