Charter hires former Cablevision exec Bair to oversee RSNs, Clifford Harris for counsel role

Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR) has formally announced the hiring of former Madison Square Garden Group executive Michael Bair to lead its newly acquired news and regional sports programming networks.

Bair will operate under the title of executive VP of Spectrum Networks, overseeing all issues for properties such as RSN Time Warner SportsNet LA. 

Bair's hiring was announced along with the addition of Cablevision veteran Clifford Harris as senior VP of law, programming, product and regulatory. Harris will also oversee all legal support for the programming and product groups as well as for all regulatory compliance and policy matters at Charter. 

Both executives will report to David Ellen, another expat from the Cablevision empire, who was just hired on at Charter as senior executive VP, in a broad-reaching roll overseeing programming, news and sports networks, strategic policy development, regulatory compliance, human resources, communications and security. 

Bair joins Charter from streaming media start-up Bleachers Corp., where he has served as CEO since 2014. He served as President of MSG Media from 2003 to 2014, working closely at that time within the Dolan family empire with Ellen. 

Harris joins Charter after 11 years with Cablevision, where he served as senior VP, Associate General Counsel.

"Their proven leadership and valuable industry experience will be critical as we work to align Charter as one company, on a path to continued growth and success," Ellen said in a statement. 

For more:
- read this Charter press release

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