Galaxy CEO Resigns

Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting CEO Jim Blomfield has resigned, citing personal reasons. Blomfield had been overseeing the launch of exTV, a new satellite pay-TV offering in Hong Kong.

Galaxy is a joint venture between Intelsat and TVB, and is scheduled to break even in 2007. The operator is facing tough competition in the Hong Kong pay-TV market, where cable operator i-Cable Communications is the market leader. Galaxy had been targeting between 70,000 and 80,000 subs in the first year of operation for ex-TV, and it appears to have its hands full in its quest to become profitable. Hong Kong is a small market and, with i-Cable already well entrenched, it is questionable as to whether it can build a profitable business in the long-term.

In other personnel moves, XM Satellite Radio [XMSR] today said Eric Logan will join the company as executive vice president of programming. Logan has a 19-year history in the radio industry, most recently as president of programming at Citadel Broadcasting.

Skystream Networks said Tim Waters is the company’s new vice president of marketing. He will oversee Skystream’s product marketing initiatives, business development and corporate strategy for the satellite, telco and cable markets. He has more than 17 years of experience in the area of sales, marketing, and product management, having held executive positions at Celite Systems, Promatory Communications, Ameritech and Paradyne.