FOX Sports 1 Flexes Production Muscle; Announces Talent Behind the Camera

FOX Sports announced eight high-level production staff hires and internal promotions tapped to lead news, studio and event programming on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports’ new national multi-sports cable network launching August 17.

Roy Hamilton was named Senior Vice President of Talent Development; Judy H. Boyd, Kent Camera and Jacob Ullman were each named Vice Presidents of Production; Michael Hughes was named Executive Producer for FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s flagship news, opinion and highlights program; and Azzie Mackenzie, Bardia Shah-Rais and Brad Zager were named Coordinating Producers for shows and events on the new network. Hughes reports to FOX Sports EVP/Coordinating Studio Producer Scott Ackerson, while Hamilton, Boyd, Camera, Ullman, Shah-Rais, Mackenzie and Zager report to executive producer John Entz.

Hughes oversees FOX SPORTS LIVE, FOX Sports 1’s 24/7 news franchise providing around-the-clock coverage through regularly scheduled programs, hourly updates and an information-rich ticker. Hughes created the award-winning production agency DLP Entertainment and has produced for several networks, including FOX, ESPN and NFL Network. He earned the Peabody Award for his work as executive producer on Pony Excess, part of ESPN’s 30 for 30 franchise. Hughes has produced multiple features and opens for some of FOX Sports’ biggest events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, BCS and Daytona 500.

“I am pleased to announce Michael Hughes as the executive producer for FOX SPORTS LIVE,” Ackerson said. “Michael’s talent and experience will help to make this brand new franchise a great success, and his creativity will separate the program from other existing sports news shows.”

Hamilton creates, oversees and runs FOX Sports 1’s Office of Talent Development & Planning where he works to maximize usage of on-air personalities across all FOX Sports platforms. Hamilton most recently held the position of Vice President, Production/Coordinating Producer for FOX Sports Networks, where he oversaw live and taped production for more than 1,300 FOX Sports Networks telecasts each year. A multiple Emmy Award winner, Hamilton has been a producer for nearly every major sports network in the country, including time with ESPN, NBC and CBS. Prior to his career in television, he played professional basketball, drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1979 NBA Draft. He played college ball at UCLA and was one of Coach John Wooden’s final recruits. An All-American as a junior and senior, Hamilton graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Boyd serves as coordinating producer for MLB, UFC, college football and World Cup coverage on FOX Sports and FOX Sports 1. She has been a member of the FOX Sports production staff for over a decade, most recently as Vice President, Production. Boyd’s career with FOX Sports began when she was hired as a broadcast associate in 2000. She was named coordinating producer in 2010 and elevated to Vice President in 2012.

Camera has several different roles with FOX Sports 1, including coordinating the planning and staffing for the network’s launch. He also works on the production of FOX Sports 1’s college football and basketball studio coverage and assists with the oversight of the network’s coverage of Major League Baseball. Camera spent the last six years at NFL Network, most recently serving as senior coordinating producer. He was previously a member of the FOX Sports family from 2000 to 2007 when he held the roles of coordinating producer and senior coordinating producer for FOX Sports Net in Los Angeles.

Ullman is responsible for the auditioning, evaluation and acquisition of talent for FOX Sports 1 while continuing to oversee all aspects of FOX Sports’ production of NFL and NASCAR, including coordinating announcer, producer and director assignments. Ullman has been part of FOX Sports for nearly 19 years and has won five Emmy Awards with the network.

Mackenzie joins FOX Sports as the coordinating producer for FOX FOOTBALL DAILY, the year-round program providing news, interviews and commentary from around the NFL and college football. Mackenzie spent the last 15 years at ESPN, most recently serving as producer for the network’s 11:00 PM ETSportsCenter, NBA Countdown and NFL Live. He has won Sports Emmy Awards for his work on SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight.

Shah-Rais oversees studio production for FOX COLLEGE THURSDAY and FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY as well as FOX Sports 1’s Big East basketball studio production, and also supervises select MLB studio coverage. He spent the last eight seasons at NFL Network where he oversaw production of Thursday Night Football pregame, halftime and postgame shows; worked as line producer for NFL Total Access and produced live event coverage. A previous member of the FOX Sports family, Shah-Rais spent eight years at FOX Sports Net where he worked as field producer on seven Super Bowls, five NBA Finals, two World Series and three NCAA Final Fours.

Zager serves as Vice President, Production for FOX Sports 1’s MLB, college basketball and boxing coverage. He has been a member of the FOX Sports family since starting as an intern in 1996. Most recently, he spent nine months in Japan serving as an Executive Producer and working on the launch of FOX Sports Japan. In his career, Zager has worked on college football, college basketball, the FOX SATURDAYBASEBALL GAME OF THE WEEK and produced the inaugural Pac-12 Football Championship Game on FOX in 2011.

“We are thrilled to have Roy, Judy, Kent, Jacob, Azzie, Bardia and Brad here to launch FOX Sports 1,” Entz said. “They each bring an impressive track record of success, and we are fortunate to have their unique talents, creativity and valuable experience as we begin this exciting new era in sports television.”