TiVo Names Chief Executive

TiVo Inc., the video recording company struggling to gain a sizable audience, named former Primedia Inc. head Tom Rogers as its chief executive Monday, ending a six-month search.

The Alviso, Calif.-based company, which pioneered the technology of digital video recorders that pause and replay live television, has been searching for a CEO since its former chief and co-founder Michael Ramsay announced his resignation in January.

Rogers, 50, has been a board member of TiVo since 2003, but his involvement with the company dates to the late 1990s when, as president of NBC Cable, he led the network’s initial investment in TiVo. While at NBC, he was credited with helping launch the MSNBC and CNBC networks.

He later was named CEO of media conglomerate Primedia but resigned in April 2003 after a disagreement with a major shareholder.

“The maturing of TiVo into more of an established business entity is reflected in the change between him and me,” said Ramsay, who will remain on the board. “I am very happy to have Tom join us and pass the baton.”

The appointment comes in the middle of what industry analysts say is a make-or-break year for TiVo, which has fought hard to maintain market share amid growing competition from cable giants that now sell generic versions of TiVo’s core product. The company has 3.3 million subscribers.

Rogers was involved in closing a recent deal with Comcast Corp.’s cable TV operations. TiVo executives said the deal, which potentially gives their company access to the cable giant’s 21.5 million households, was evidence that TiVo was moving out of its niche market.

In an interview, Rogers said mass distribution of TiVo would be his primary goal.

“We have a lot of ingredients here,” he said. “We need to figure out the right buttons to push.”

But analysts, although emphasizing the uniqueness of the product, expressed doubt that contracts with cable companies would be enough to turn the company profitable.

“We think TiVo’s cable opportunity is smaller than many believe and in any event should not contribute meaningful revenues for some time,” analyst Alan Bezoza of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group Inc. wrote in a note to clients.

TiVo, founded in 1997, has yet to make money but board members are hopeful that the company will turn a profit this year. TiVo shares rose 18 cents to $6.98 on Monday and are up almost 19% this year.

Rogers said he initially turned down the job because he didn’t want to move his family from New York. He will split his week between TiVo’s headquarters and his East Coast home.