Epix To Launch Sports Interview Series

Epix will team with former HBO Sports president Seth Abraham to create a new sports interview series, Personal With Bill Rhoden, the network told Multichannel News Tuesday.

The 30-minute series will feature award-winning New York Times sports journalist Rhoden interviewing popular athletes and sports enthusiasts. The first episode will feature an interview with former world champion boxer and Olympic Gold Medalist Oscar De La Hoya about his post fight career and his aspirations, according to Epix officials. Upcoming Personal With Bill Rhoden subjects will be announced in the coming weeks.

Abraham, along with former HBO producer Tim Braine, will serve as co-executive producers for the series, which will air on the EPIX linear channel, online at EpixHD.com, and on PS3, Xbox, Roku players and iPads, said network officials.

Personal with Bill Rhoden will be one of a kind,” said Mark Greenberg, Epix President and CEO in a statement.  “We love sports and are devoted to raising the bar on sports programming through specials such as this, which allow us to bring our viewers even deeper into the lives and stories of our heroes.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.