Ken Tolle

President and Senior Advisor

BIOGRAPHY:

Ken is a talented lawyer and media executive who has negotiated hundreds of programming network deals, and established himself both as a valuable asset to his clients and among the brightest stars contributing to the nation’s pay TV industry. Ken’s core skills include video content licensing, sophisticated corporate transactions and business development. In a career spent working closely with C-level executives to formulate legal and business strategies for national and international cable TV networks and online properties, Ken has participated actively in deals valued in excess of fifteen billion ($15,000,000,000) in total transaction value and helped launch or re-launch over twenty (20) television networks and numerous online media properties. Since starting LPMA in 2007, Ken has assisted his network clients in adding over one hundred million (100,000,000) revenue generating subscribers.

Significant Representations:

In his capacity as president and senior advisor, Ken oversees all legal work and provides strategic counsel to clients on all matters relating to their exploitation of intellectual property assets.

Ken has advised both buyers and sellers on major network acquisitions. Representative samples include the following:

One Equity Partners in the acquisition of the TVGuide Channel;
GE Capital in the sale of NBC Universal to Comcast;
Al Jazeera Media Networks in the acquisition of Current TV;
Imagina US, LLC in the sale of three Spanish language networks (CentroAmericaTV, TV Dominicana, and PassionesTV) to Hemisphere Media group Inc.;
Kroenke Outdoor Sports Group in the acquisition of the Sportsman Channel.

In late 2009 and through mid-year 2011, Ken assumed the role as interim head of distribution for The Inspiration Networks Inc., which then owned three cable networks (INSP, HalogenTV and La Familia Cosmovision). Under his leadership, the organization achieved unprecedented subscriber growth and has become a leader in re-framing the paradigm for religious / values-based media. In 2010 Ken led contract renewal negotiations on behalf of The Inspiration Networks with all major U.S. distributors and was successful in re-structuring legacy agreements across the pay television landscape. Ken’s contributions have helped lead to establishing INSP as top-rated Nielsen network and the sale of HalogenTV to Participant Media in 2012.

From 2009-2016 Ken served as outside general counsel to Imagina US, LLC one of the nation’s fastest growing and most dynamic Spanish language media companies who itself and through its subsidiaries operated five Spanish language cable networks and created marquee shows for Spanish language broadcasters, Telemundo and Univision.

In 2012, Ken was a lead negotiator in the launch of beIN Sport US, resulting in the successful launch on each of the largest MVPDs and multiple smaller distributors.

From 2015-2018 (mid-year), Ken represented CenturyLink Communications, LLC as lead business affairs negotiator in furtherance of launching a state of the art multichannel OTT platform. In this capacity, Ken lead or oversaw negotiations with all major content suppliers including without limitation, Disney/ESPN, Discovery, Scripps, HBO, Fox, CBS, Viacom, Netwflix, Showtime, NBCU and others. When CenturyLink decided to shutter the project, Ken assisted with work-out negotiations with major programming suppliers and technology vendors.

Ken also represents a wide variety of ethnic channels, independent cable networks and independent producers as well as major media conglomerates in their distribution agreements with major pay television and online platforms (e.g. Comcast, Time Warner Cable, National Cable Television Cooperative, Cablevision, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, AT&T/DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon, YouTubeTV, FUBOTV, HULU, Netflix and various other emerging online distribution outlets).

Additional Background and Experience:

As vice president of programming at Dish Network (2002-2007), Ken was responsible for all legal aspects of content acquisition and video product strategy. Legal matters included contract negotiation and implementation, litigation management, regulatory compliance and intellectual property. Ken negotiated video content distribution and ancillary agreements covering the full gamut of independent and conglomerated media companies such as Disney/ESPN, Fox Networks, Turner Networks, Scripps Networks, NBC Universal, Discovery Networks, etc., as well as international networks. He worked directly with C-level executives to resolve issues and drive business results. Agreements typically included both traditional and new media elements (e.g. HD, VOD, iTV, Internet downloads and streaming) as well as multi-element economic structures. Additionally, Ken served as Dish’s board representative for several nationally distributed cable TV networks where Dish held equity positions.

Volunteer Activities:

Ken serves as legal liaison to the board of Adaptive Spirit, a not-for-profit trade association that focuses on building business relationships and effective networking practices in the telecommunications industry.

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS:

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, J.D. 1999

President, Student Bar Association
Kathy Krendle Business Planning Scholarship Award Winner

University of Denver, Daniels College of Business, MBA 2007

Fort Lewis College, B.A., with honors History and Political Science 1994

President, Sr. Class 1993

Admitted to Practice in the State of Colorado

Supervising attorney for all LPMA work product