Chris Gorog Explained

William Christopher “Chris” Gorog is an entertainment and technology executive that has served in senior leadership positions in Hollywood and Silicon Valley,[1] including as chairman and chief executive officer of Napster,[2] a top digital music brand,[3] and Roxio.

Gorog played a central role in efforts to monetize digital music downloads and streams. He oversaw Roxio's conversion to a digital music subscription and download service through the acquisitions of Pressplay and Napster. Gorog was a key ally of the record labels in the digital music market but was also a vocal critic of the licensing terms and DRM restrictions that labels imposed on digital music services.[4]

Gorog began his entertainment career as a business affairs executive at The Walt Disney Company,[5] continued his work in film and television as CEO of ITC Entertainment,[6] moved to Universal Studios as executive vice president of group operations for the Recreation Group,[7] and then on to CEO positions with Roxio[8] and Napster[9] as the entertainment business converged with new technologies.

Gorog was born in Fontainebleau France, raised in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A.S. in telecommunications and film.[10] Gorog comes from an entrepreneurial family.[11] His father, William F. Gorog, was co-founder and chief executive of Data Corp, which created LexisNexis.[12]

After ten years of developing Napster, Chris Gorog stepped down[13] in January 2010 and started gorog.net to serve as a foundation to explore new opportunities in entertainment, media and technology.

Napster

Gorog led the acquisition of Napster, the peer-to-peer network that made music downloading a phenomenon,[14] in 2002. He re-launched the pioneer digital music brand as a legal music provider in 2003,[15] which became a public company in 2004. Under Gorog’s leadership as chairman and CEO of Napster,[16] the company assembled one of the largest digital music catalogs in the world[17] and expanded its global presence by offering its service in the U.K,[18] Germany[19] and Japan.[20] Napster created a number of digital music product innovations under Gorog’s management, including the introduction of portable subscriptions,[21] a free advertising supported version of Napster,[22] as well as a variety of mobile music offerings.[23]

Gorog also oversaw the development of a number of advertising campaigns for the company,[24] including “Its Coming Back,” Napster’s re-launch campaign featuring a series of original animations[25] [26] that received both the Cannes Lion Award[27] and the Silver Effie.[28] Napster was also awarded Billboard magazine’s “Best Digital Music Community”[29] award for its U.S. music service.

Best Buy acquired Napster in 2008, and Gorog served as Napster’s chief executive officer until January 6, 2010.[30]

Roxio

As chairman and chief executive officer of Roxio,[31] Gorog led the company’s successful spin-off from Adaptec, took the company public in May 2001 and drove the creation of the Roxio consumer brand.[14] Roxio became the leader in CD burning software, with 70% market share led by its brands Easy CD Creator and Toast.[1] In January 2002, Gorog led Roxio’s acquisition of MGI Software that expanded the company’s portfolio to include photo and video editing software, as well as the top-selling system-recovery software for crash and virus recovery.[32]

In December 2002, Gorog led Roxio’s acquisition of Napster[14] – and followed with an acquisition of Universal Music’s and Sony’s Pressplay in May 2003,[33] which served as the new technology platform for the company’s release of Napster 2.0, the revitalized legal version of the original Napster.[15] In August 2004, Roxio sold the software business in order to focus entirely on developing the Napster digital music business.[34] The company officially changed its corporate name from Roxio (NASDAQ: ROXI) to Napster (NASDAQ: NAPS) in January 2005.[35]

Entertainment

Prior to Gorog’s technology positions, he served in a variety of senior capacities in the entertainment business, including executive vice president of Universal Studios Recreation Group, where he helped manage Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s multibillion-dollar theme park expansion in Florida and Japan.[36] Gorog later served as president of new business development for Universal Studios Recreation Group. Prior to Universal, Gorog served as president and CEO of ITC Entertainment[5] and as vice president business affairs motion pictures and television for The Walt Disney Company.[5]

Board positions

Gorog has served as a director on a variety of entertainment and technology boards, including House of Blues,[5] Guitar Center[37] and Critical Path,[38] in addition to serving on the boards of Roxio and Napster as its chairman.[39] He also has served on the board of directors of NARM, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.

Affiliations

Gorog is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[5]

Keynotes

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Nicole Ridgway, 03.04.02 . Let Them Burn . Forbes . January 4, 2012 . March 4, 2002.
  2. Web site: Mark Brohan . Napster turns up sales volume to $32.8 million for Q3 . Internetretailer.com . January 4, 2012.
  3. Web site: Ipsos: Napster, iTunes Best-Known for Fee-based Downloading… . Marketingvox.com . December 16, 2005 . January 4, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120223142647/http://www.marketingvox.com/ipsos_napster_itunes_bestknown_for_feebased_downloading-020633/ . February 23, 2012 . dead . mdy-all .
  4. Web site: The Billboard Q&A: Chris Gorog . Billboard.biz . January 4, 2012 . September 25, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120925033304/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1004061034 . dead .
  5. Web site: Digital Hollywood . Digital Hollywood . January 4, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120301030355/http://www.digitalhollywood.com/DHLA01/DHLAMondayTen.html . March 1, 2012 . mdy-all .
  6. Web site: Digital Entertainment Awards . Digital Entertainment Awards . January 4, 2012.
  7. Encyclopedia: Chris Gorog Appointed Executive Vice President, Group Operations… . Encyclopedia.com . January 4, 2012.
  8. Web site: iHollywood Forum Announces Digital Music Leaders Speaking at Music… . Allbusiness.com . November 4, 2003 . January 4, 2012.
  9. Web site: Betting it all on Napster . January 4, 2012.
  10. Web site: Sound man: Napster Chief Executive Chris Gorog listens to Mark… . Allbusiness.com . October 22, 2007 . January 4, 2012.
  11. Web site: Hard-Driving Clan Breeds Three Successful Generations . Allbusiness.com . January 4, 2012.
  12. News: William Gorog, 76, Businessman with a Bent for High Technology . The New York Times . July 17, 2002 . January 4, 2012 . Ari L. . Goldman.
  13. https://archive.today/20120905114527/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/music/news/e3i75b1b29eacd3861b825585e895efee38 Napster CEO Stepping Down
  14. Billboard – August 2003 . 90 . gorog billboard napster. . Internet Archive . August 9, 2003 . January 4, 2012.
  15. Web site: Napster Lives Again—Sort of . https://web.archive.org/web/20031123133205/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_42/b3854093_mz063.htm . dead . November 23, 2003 . Bloomberg BusinessWeek . January 4, 2012.
  16. Web site: Passion Works . Sbnonline.com . January 30, 2008 . January 4, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080508071610/http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/13971/75/0/Passion_works.aspx . May 8, 2008 . mdy-all .
  17. Web site: Napster Goes DRM-Free . Billboard.biz . May 20, 2008 . January 4, 2012 . August 30, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100830142205/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i9189f73c48e7dd51e9a8af5824382c0a . dead .
  18. Web site: Smith . Tony . Napster UK goes live . Theregister.co.uk . May 20, 2004 . January 4, 2012.
  19. Web site: Briefs: Napster Germany opens for business . Physorg.com . January 4, 2012.
  20. http://www.internetretailer.com/internet/marketing-conference/95078-napster-says-konichiwa-japan.html Napster says’Konichiwa’ to Japan
  21. Web site: Napster raises revenue guidance . News.cnet.com . January 4, 2012.
  22. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1628197.htm Napster offers free music
  23. Web site: Kim Poh Liaw . Napster Mobile Expands Availability to More than 13 Million AT&T Wireless Customers . Slashphone.com . October 5, 2006 . January 4, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110929144106/http://www.slashphone.com/napster-mobile-expands-availability-to-more-than-13-million-att-wireless-customers-043049 . September 29, 2011 . dead . mdy-all .
  24. News: Napster To Go campaign will challenge Apple iTunes' lead . Forbes . January 4, 2012 . February 10, 2005.
  25. Web site: Napster Jailbreak . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Vy0Yyl9m_4A . 2021-12-21 . live. Youtube . January 4, 2012.
  26. Web site: Napster Hip-Hop . Atom.com . October 28, 2003 . January 4, 2012.
  27. News: Howard . Theresa . Ads from USA dominate in online category at Cannes . USA Today . June 25, 2004 . January 4, 2012.
  28. Web site: Winners Showcase . Effie.org . January 4, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120225173322/http://www.effie.org/winners/search?category_id=36&q=all_years . February 25, 2012 . mdy-all .
  29. Web site: Billboard Digital Entertainment Conference & Awards . Digitalentertainmentawards.com . November 5, 2004 . January 4, 2012.
  30. http://blog.napster.com/napster/2010/01/a-note-from-napsters-ceo-chris-gorog.html
  31. Web site: Roxio CEO Chris Gorog Tells TechNewsWorld… . November 7, 2003 . Technewsworld.com . January 4, 2012.
  32. Web site: Veverka . Mark . Roxio Looks to Keep Burning Up the CD Scene . Online.barrons.com . February 25, 2002 . January 4, 2012.
  33. Associated Press . Roxio Buys Pressplay, Napster Lives . Wired . January 4, 2012 . May 19, 2003.
  34. Web site: Sonic buys Roxio software, Roxio becomes 'Napster' . CNN . August 9, 2004 . January 4, 2012.
  35. Web site: Kurt Peters . Napster tunes up new image with new "NAPS" stock symbol . Internetretailer.com . January 3, 2005 . January 4, 2012.
  36. Encyclopedia: Chris Gorog Appointe Executive Vice President, Group Operations . Encyclopedia.com . January 4, 2012.
  37. Web site: Guitar Center, Inc. Adds Messrs. Wm. Christopher Gorog, George… . Plummersearch.com . January 4, 2012.
  38. Web site: CEO of Digital Media Software Leader Roxio Joins Critical Path Board of Directors . Allbusiness.com . January 4, 2012.
  39. Web site: Bylawrence Carrel . ROXI Music . Smartmoney.com . June 24, 2004 . January 4, 2012.
  40. http://www.narm.com/2007Convention/DigitalNARMRegForm.pdf Digital NARM
  41. http://www.narm.com/2007Convention/DigitalNARMRegForm.pdf MuseExpo
  42. Web site: Leadership Music Digital Summit . January 4, 2012.
  43. Web site: Jupiter Plug-In . July 31, 2004 . January 4, 2012.
  44. Web site: Music Board of Ireland and the European Union . Electricnews.net . May 20, 2004 . January 4, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110929114751/http://www.electricnews.net/story/show/9412588 . September 29, 2011 . dead .
  45. Web site: iHollywood Forum . Allbusiness.com . November 4, 2003 . January 4, 2012.
  46. Web site: Jupiter Plug-In . Allbusiness.com . August 2, 2003 . January 4, 2012.
  47. Web site: Digital Music Forum . Blogcritics.org . January 4, 2012.
  48. Web site: MidemNet . November 15, 2003 . January 4, 2012.

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