FSN Exec VP/Programming, Production & News ARTHUR SMITH
is leaving his post at the end of October to establish an
independent TV production company in L.A. Smith had been at
FSN since November '96. Smith also served as Exec Producer
for FSN's and fX's national coverage of MLB, college
football, Sunday Night Fights and fX's World Toughman
Series. Most recently, Smith helped launch FSN's RSNs. Fox
Sports TV Group Chair David Hill, on Smith: "Arthur played a
huge role in forging Fox Sports Net into the major national
and regional entity it is today" (FSN). Smith tells the
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Michele Greppi: "I feel so good about
what we've done here, but I didn't want to see a lifelong
dream turn into a lifelong regret." Greppi writes that
Smith's "exit raises the question of succession." Greppi:
"Restructuring of FSN seems inevitable. Sources said that
among the scenarios discussed recently is the splitting of
production and programming duties." Among the new projects
Smith's new company will start is production of "You Gotta
See This," which Smith developed at FSN (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER,
10/12). DAILY VARIETY's John Dempsey cites Smith as saying
that his company "will produce not only sports shows but all
forms of programming, from gameshows to talkshows to reality
series" (DAILY VARIETY, 10/12).
