SANDRA STERN PROMOTED TO PRESIDENT OF LIONSGATE TELEVISION GROUP

Move Reflects Continued Growth of Company's Television Operations

SANTA MONICA, Calif., and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 16, 2015 /CNW/ -- Reflecting the continued growth of Lionsgate's (NYSE: LGF) television business, 30-year industry veteran Sandra Stern has been promoted to President of the Lionsgate Television Group, the Company announced today.

Ms. Stern spearheads all business, legal, administrative and operational aspects of the division and directs its strategy, transactions and negotiations worldwide. She is charged with exploring innovative production, distribution and digital media strategies to continue a growth trajectory that has taken the Television Group from $8 million in revenue in 2000 to nearly $600 million last year.

One of the industry's most visionary strategists and creative dealmakers, Ms. Stern has been instrumental in forging new relationships, business models and multiple window financing strategies for Lionsgate successes such as Orange is the New Black, Mad Men, Weeds, Nashville and Manhattan.

"Sandra and Kevin Beggs have complementary business and creative skills that make them a tremendous team in building our television business into one of the financial and strategic pillars of our Company," said Lionsgate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer. "Sandra is one of the key executives moving our Company forward, and her dealmaking skills, industry acumen and talent relationships are helping to elevate our Television Group to the next level of performance."

"Sandra is a skilled negotiator with a tremendous grasp of where our industry is headed, and I couldn't ask for a more talented, dedicated and innovative partner," said Lionsgate Television Group Chairman Kevin Beggs. "She plays an incredibly valuable role in building our stature as a leading supplier of premium content to broadcast, cable and digital networks as well as exploring new and exciting growth opportunities."

During Ms. Stern's tenure working alongside Mr. Beggs, Lionsgate has built a roster of more than 30 shows on over 20 different networks.  The Company has assembled one of the strongest slates in its history this year, driven by the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, recently renewed for its fourth season on Netflix, and the broadcast network series Nashville, renewed for a fourth season on ABC and currently being sold into syndication.

All of the Company's new series from last year have been renewed, including: The Royals, a breakout success as the first scripted series for E! Network; the critically-acclaimed drama Manhattan (WGN America); the comedy Deadbeat, picked up for a third season on Hulu; and Chasing Life (ABC Family), the first show from Lionsgate's television partnership with Televisa.

In addition, the Company is launching a record 16 original new series this year, including Clyde Phillips' drama series Broke for AMC, Jason Reitman's one-hour comedy drama Casual for Hulu, the drama series Greenleaf for Oprah Winfrey's OWN, and Lionsgate's first original series for EPIX, the political satire Graves, starring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.

Ms. Stern joined Lionsgate in 2003 as Executive Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, and was promoted to COO of the Television Group in 2005.

Before joining Lionsgate, Ms. Stern served as Chief Operating Officer of Artists Television Group, where she helped create and structure the company and directed its business affairs, legal, finance, administrative and production operations. Prior to that, she worked for eight years, first as Senior Vice President, then Executive Vice President, of the Columbia TriStar Television Group at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

From 1986 through 1991, Ms. Stern was Senior Vice President in charge of business affairs and international development at New World Entertainment, where she put together the first ever international co-production for a U.S. broadcast network.

A graduate of UCLA Law School, Ms. Stern is a founding member of the UCLA Law Women LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, Advancement & Distinction) organization and was the 2015 UCLA Law Alumnus of the Year.  Ms. Stern is an active supporter of numerous civic and charitable organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, who awarded her their Excellence in Mentoring Award last April.

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms, video games and international distribution and sales. Lionsgate currently has more than 30 television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the multiple Emmy Award-winning drama Mad Men, the hit broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the acclaimed drama Manhattan and the breakout series The Royals.

Its feature film business has been fueled by such successes as the blockbuster first three installments of The Hunger Games franchise, the first two installments of the Divergent franchise, The Age of Adaline, CBS/Lionsgate's The DUFF, John Wick, Now You See Me, Roadside Attractions' Love & Mercy and Mr. Holmes, Lionsgate/Codeblack Films' Addicted and Pantelion Films' Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

For further information, please contact:
Peter Wilkes
310-255-3726
[email protected]

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SOURCE Lionsgate