Thomas Hicks New Media Consulting provides business strategy, marketing, and project management services for media companies.
Recognized as a pioneer in building businesses at the intersection between technology and media, Hicks has a distinguished history of developing innovative business models and using technology to create compelling consumer experiences that inform, entertain and educate. His clients include National Geographic, BBC America, Oxygen, the Bravo channel, the Independent Film Channel, Hallmark Channel, Time Warner, American Movie Classics, public television stations, and a host of start-up companies in the entertainment, health, education and technology areas.
Before starting his own consulting practice, Hicks served as Chief Operating Officer of AccentHealth.
In 1994, Hicks conceived of and launched Discovery Channel Online, the first entertainment-oriented web site. As General Manager, Hicks had full P/L responsibility for Discovery's internet initiatives, managing distribution, e-commerce, ad sales, and strategic deployment of Discovery Channel Online through DCI's international partners. Under Hicks, Discovery Channel Online consistently ranked as a top news and information site and a leader in Internet advertising revenue; he also successfully established Discovery's e-commerce efforts. Hicks negotiated strategic agreements with Microsoft, Yahoo, C-Net, and MSNBC, among others.
Under Hicks' leadership Discovery Channel Online efforts won both critical and audience acclaim, garnering numerous awards, including the first international Milia d'Or for best worldwide web site, and the Software Publisher's Association Codie award. Hicks' Discovery Channel Online team achieved many online "firsts", including posting the first real-time images to the web from the Titanic in 1996, providing live coverage of the Mars Pathfinder landing, and collaborating on a series of scientific expeditions with scientists from the American Museum of Natural History. Many of the design and technical innovations the Discovery Channel Online team made in colaboration with the scientists at Netscape have become web site standards.
Hicks supervised all of Discovery's publishing operations prior to conceiving and launching Discovery Online. As Publisher, he oversaw two award-winning consumer magazines -- one of which he launched -- and initiated Discovery's book publishing efforts in collaboration with Random House, Abrams and McGraw Hill.
Hicks has an extensive background in consumer media marketing. Prior to joining Discovery, he was director of marketing for The National Journal, the prestigious Washington, DC-based publication, where he launched CongressDaily, the first mass-distributed daily fax newsletter. Hicks also served as associate publisher for The New Republic, overseeing advertising, circulation and production operations. Hicks started his career at U.S.News and World Report. He has also served as a private magazine consultant, providing marketing and finance strategy to various national publications. Hicks started his career as a high school English teacher and educational materials developer and is the recipient of multiple EdPress Awards for excellence in educational journalism.
Hicks has been an invited speaker at national and international industry functions and conferences, including Jupiter, Gartner Group, Internet World, COMDEX, National Cable Television Association, the Software Publisher's Association, and the Banff Television Festival. He has served as a judge of the World Wide Web Health Awards and the Web Marketing Association's Internet Advertising Competition.
Hicks is a graduate of American University in Washington, DC. Now retired, he lives and writes in Pacifc Grove, CA, with his wife. They have two grown children.
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