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The sport of problem solving
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Marc Forest ’85BBA
Vice President, Programming and Production
Clear Channel Entertainment Television
New York, NY
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For some, being able to ensure a predictable outcome is icing on the cake. But for others, like Marc Forest ’85BBA, vice president of Programming and Production at Clear Channel Entertainment Television, the adrenaline flows because he can’t anticipate what challenges might arise during live sports programming.
For example, if wireless cameras stop transmitting in the middle of the Boston Marathon, Forest has to fix the problem—and fast. Millions of viewers are counting on him to find an answer. “That’s what I love about it,” he says. “It happens right there, and you have to respond and react.”
Every sporting event offers distinct challenges, and every challenge can offer a new lesson to learn. Maybe that explains why Forest made the not-so-easy switch from business school grad to broadcast television. While he wasn’t formally trained in television, Forest, 42, says his experiences at Goizueta gave him the confidence and business sense to make the transition.
“I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without having been there,” Forest says of his Goizueta experiences. His brother, Steve Forest ’82BBA, is also a Goizueta graduate. Forest keeps connected with the school by introducing students to the industry and sharing his experiences during Lead Week trips to New York.
For the past fifteen years, Forest has produced sports programming for nearly every sport. His travels have allowed him to work at eleven Super Bowl games. At Clear Channel, he manages the company’s current television properties and new business developments.
One of his projects debuted in March. “Pros vs. Joes” will place recently retired athletes such as Jerry Rice, Dominique Wilkins, Bo Jackson, and Brandi Chastain in sports competitions against everyday sports fans. The weekly show will air on Spike TV. Forest also works with Black Canyon, one of the top producers of sports documentaries, such as “Curse of the Bambino” and “When It Was a Game.”
Later this year, Forest will manage production for the Boston Marathon (Outdoor Life Network), USTA U.S. Open broadcasts (CBS, USA Network), “Amp’d Supercross,” a show dedicated to motorcross sports (CBS, Speed Channel), and “Topspin,” a tennis show aimed at children (CBS).
His background in sports broadcasting dates back to his work as a feature producer for Giants Journal. Also he served as director of International Broadcasting at the NFL, where he oversaw the league’s international television business and production. In 1998, he formed Double Time Productions, a full-service sports and entertainment television production company.
His management style is just as unique as the road he took to a television career. “I like being out there and doing it and making sure everything gets done,” Forest says. “There’s no job, big or small, because it all needs to get done.”
—Gary Estwick
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