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Stephen Chao
Born1955
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation(s)Co-Founder and CEO of WonderHowTo.com

Stephen Chao (born 1955) is an American web entrepreneur and media industry veteran born in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[1] Formerly one of Big Media’s most controversial executives, he earned a reputation for unconventional behavior and garnering mass attention after Fox CEO Rupert Murdoch fired him in 1992.[2] He co-founded the community-powered free internet how-to instructional video website WonderHowTo.com with Michael Goedecke and backed by General Catalyst Partners.[3]

Early life

Stephen Chao was born to a Chinese middle class family and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, moving to New Hampshire when he was eight years old.[1] His maternal grandfather was a prominent official in pre-revolutionary China, once serving as the nation’s economic minster to the United States.[4] An excellent student, Chao earned a scholarship to the exclusive Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire before majoring in classical studies at Harvard.

College years

Chao attended Harvard University where he majored in classical studies, graduating cum laude in 1977. He later went on to earn an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981.[2][5]

WonderHowTo

Founding

In 2006, Stephen Chao and Mike Goedecke founded WonderHowTo.com[2] WonderHowTo[6][7] in Santa Monica, California.[3] With backing from Cambridge, Massachusetts based General Catalyst Partners, WonderHowTo.com launched in January 2008 with almost 90,000 entries, hitting the 100,000th mark in less than two months. As of November 2009, WonderHowTo indexes over 250,000 videos and articles.[3]

Career path

National Enquirer

Between Harvard degrees, Chao co-wrote a Fodor’s travel guide for Turkey, shoveled manure on a farm in France, and reported for the National Enquirer.[2] For two years, he covered such topics as celebrity infertility problems and funerals for the supermarket tabloid. He broke the story of OJ Simpson's budding romance with Nicole Brown[8] and tracked UFO sightings throughout South America for three months.[9] Chao believed the Enquirer was an intriguing social phenomenon and enjoyed his role with the newspaper despite its worldwide criticism.

Fox Television

Upon graduation, Chao developed an interest in movies. Multiple rejections by the studios lead him to New York working in finance for movie producer Dino De Laurentis.[1] Chao soon heard that global media mogul Rupert Murdoch was shopping for a Hollywood studio. The Harvard and National Enquirer alum simply sent him a letter asking for a job upon which Murdoch invited him in for an interview.[8] He was immediately hired in the mergers and acquisitions department of Murdoch's News Corporation as Vice President of Acquisitions and Corporate Development. Two years later, Murdoch purchased Fox Studios. Looking to expand the studio into television, he asked Chao to become a part of the creative team for the nascent Fox Television network.[10]

Barry Diller

Chao’s new position was under Fox President, Barry Diller. His duties were to develop innovative, low-cost shows for the station group. The idea was to greenhouse promising shows, and to ultimately migrate them to the network. Some of his first attempts included short-lived programs such as The Ron Reagan Show, a talk show hosted by Ronald Reagan's son, the children’s show Dr. Science, and the game show King of the Mountain. Both strong minded executives, Diller and Chao often butted heads. The most talked about controversy surrounding the two individuals occurred when Diller became so enraged with Chao that he hurled a 3/4" videocassette tape across the room, denting the wall. Chao framed the dent, convincing Diller years later to autograph it.[4][6] Despite their intense conflicts, the two men together produced some of the most innovative, enduring and controversial television programming to date.

The puppy story

During a party at the Murdoch's home, Chao nearly drowned their English purebred puppy after throwing it in the swimming pool to see if it could swim.[4][6] With the dog sinking instead of swimming, Chao, dressed in proper business attire, jumped in to rescue the drowning puppy.

Television success

Chao’s first success was a concept that had been in his head for years after seeing the "Most Wanted" poster in the post office. Chao's original pitch was to marry High Noon with the 10 o'clock News. The concept he labeled "Electronic Lynching" became the television show America’s Most Wanted.[8] The following year in 1987, Chao met John Langley who pitched a concept of following beat cops around Broward County. This show became Cops.[6] Chao was soon promoted to President of Fox Television stations and FOX News.

The Fox termination scandal

In June 1992 at a retreat in Snowmass, Colorado, just ten weeks after taking position as President of Fox Television stations, Chao spoke at a management conference for Fox executives, board members and world dignitaries, including Rupert Murdoch and wife Anna Murdoch, and former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and wife Lynne Cheney. Chao spoke on “The Threat to Democratic Capitalism Posed by Modern Culture”. Strongly emphasising that television programs tend to be less critical of violence than nudity and sexuality, Chao hired a local waiter/model Marco Iacovelli[11] to strip naked during his speech to illustrate his point about censorship and that network standards were not keeping pace with modern day experience. Not at all amused, Murdoch fired Chao immediately afterwards.[6][10][12]

Back to his roots

After being fired, Chao took the opportunity to explore his fascination with McDonald's by getting a job at one in Redondo Beach.[6] A big fan of the fast food chain, Chao ate there every day. For six weeks, he flipped burgers, manned the fryer and cleaned the dairy machine, claiming it the hardest job he ever had.[2]

USA Network

In 1993, Chao formed his own production company, Stephen Chao Incorporated, creating and producing programs for ABC, CBS, NBC, Columbia TriStar Television, Universal Television and Nickelodeon as well as launching Playboy TV in Latin America and the 24 hour animation channel, Locomotion.[5] In 1995, he began development on a late-night talk show for MCA Television that never saw the light of day titled HelloGoodnight. He did some consulting work in 1996 for a Venezuelan media company, Cisneros Television Group. Chao also produced David Blaine's first television special, Street Magic.[8]

In February 1998, Barry Diller purchased USA Network and the Sci Fi Channel from Universal Studios, hiring Chao in April as president of programming and marketing,[13] working with such shows as the WWF, La Femme Nikita, Highlander: The Series, Baywatch and the Jerry Springer Show. He was also responsible for the dramedy Monk.[2] At the time he paid a record amount to buy the script from ABC, which had placed the project in turnaround. On March 23, 2000, Chao was promoted to President of USA Cable,[13] where he supervised all cable services, including advertising sales, finance, administration, programming, marketing and the strategic growth of new services and digital offerings for the division.[5] During his tenure, USA Network aired the second most watched original mini-series in basic cable history, Attila, and the hit original movies All-American Girl: The Mary Kay LeTourneau Story and Cabin by the Lake. He was also responsible in solidifying a relationship with Mark Burnett, working with him to bring the expedition race, Eco-Challenge to the network. Also under Chao's reign, the SciFi Channel emerged as the largest provider of original scripted series in primetime on cable as well as launching the six-hour mini-series, Frank Herbert's Dune, Steven Spielberg's 20-hour mini-series "Taken" and Crossing Over With John Edward.[14]

Mixing the bizarre and media

On November 5, 2001, Stephen Chao resigned as President of USA Cable.[13][14] He took some time off to spend with family and surfing to pull away from television before stepping into his new role as web entrepreneur and CEO of WonderHowTo.com, mixing his fascination with both the bizarre and mass media.[6] Chao himself says, "There's an inherent structure to a how-to: It has a beginning, middle and an end."[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/6138/Chao-Stephen.html
  2. ^ a b c d e f g http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/10/business/fi-himi10 Los Angeles Times: He Aims To Stand Out, Even Behind The Scenes
  3. ^ a b c http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS221503+27-Mar-2008+BW20080327 Reuters: WonderHowTo.com Soars Past 100,000 How-To Video Mark
  4. ^ a b c http://8.12.42.31/1998/may/09/business/fi-47802 Los Angeles Times: Changing Channels
  5. ^ a b c http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_March_23/ai_60583091?tag=rel.res2 Stephen Chao Named President, USA Cable – Business Wire
  6. ^ a b c d e f g http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/business/media/30chao.html?_r=2&ex=1359435600&en=0d4d5360fb697def&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin&oref=slogin NYT: TV Showman, Once Exiled, Returns With Video Site
  7. ^ http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-how-to-video-site-wonderhowto-raises-first-round How To Video Site WonderHowTo Raises First Round; Chao’s Return
  8. ^ a b c d "How The Creator Of "America's Most Wanted" Is Building One Of The Biggest Sites You Never Heard Of – with Stephen Chao". December 1, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |outlet= ignored (help)
  9. ^ "Talking with Stephen Chao". Finding Dulcinea. June 27, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  10. ^ a b http://www.mrmedia.com/2008/03/stephen-chao-wonderhowtocom-web_799.html Mr. Media Interviews Stephen Chao
  11. ^ http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,311013,00.html EW: Chao Time Ends In Fox Fire
  12. ^ Pener, Degen (June 28, 1992). "NYTimes: EGOS & IDS; He Who Stripped Is Not A Stripper". New York Times.
  13. ^ a b c http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/USA-Interactive-Inc-Company-History.html USA Interactive, Inc. – FundingUniverse.com
  14. ^ a b http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_/ai_79569460 Stephen Chao To Resign As President Of USA Cable – Business Wire
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