CENTURY MEDIA Positions Itself For The Future

Century Media has been a brand name that has been synonymous with heavy metal for the past 20 years. The company is announcing new appointments that will position itself for aggressive growth in the next decade by bringing on Don Robertson as president; Mike Gitter as VP of A&R; and Marc Schapiro as marketing/product manager for the company's InsideOut Music and Superball imprints.

Commented Century Media CEO Oliver Withöft: "The world as we know it will change dramatically within the next two years. We at Century Media are looking forward to change. It will set a couple of things right that went way out of line in our industry over the past decade. Embracing these changes with an outstanding team will be even more fun and rewarding. These new appointments also kick off a business development initiative intended to extend the Century Media brand."

Don Robertson will oversee all aspects of the company's USA operation as president, bringing twenty years of industry expertise spanning management, label and publishing. He states, "I'm proud and excited to join the extremely talented staff at Century Media in this role. For 20 years they have been at the forefront of the metal community and continue to break new barriers. The record business is in exciting times where you must be innovative, smart and hungry to survive. Century Media is all that and more. This is the company to watch!"

Mike Gitter brings a track record of vision and accomplishment as part of Atlantic and Roadrunner Records, having garnered gold level successes with projects including BAD RELIGION, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and "MTV Headbangers Ball" compilation. He also signed such genre titans as MEGADETH, DRAGONFORCE, OPETH, GLASSJAW and NIGHTWISH.

States Gitter, "Not only am I becoming part of Century Media's legacy, but I'm also becoming part of what is guaranteed to be its most exciting chapter yet. It's a rare moment in a label's history where vision and know-how come together — that's the Century Media of now. This is the company that's going to surprise not merely the metal industry but the music industry at large in the next couple years."

Marc Schapiro has joined on as marketing/product manager for InsideOut Music and Superball imprints while also working with Century Media as a whole for new business development and marketing. Marc brings the resources of his company, Branch Marketing Collective, which focuses on sponsorship and event marketing.

States Schapiro: "I couldn't be more excited to be part of the InsideOut Music, Superball Music and the whole Century Media family. They are some of the most forward-thinking labels in this new era of the music business, and have an amazing team in place that I'm psyched to be a part of. Most importantly, I am looking forward to bringing bigger and more innovative opportunities to some of my favorite artists of all time like DEVIN TOWNSEND, KING'S X and OCEANSIZE."

Throughout the past 20 years, Century Media has been working with some of the scene's greatest musicians turning many into household names. CM has stood resolutely through the ups and downs of continually changing economic and political markets and shifting tides in consumer tastes. It is proud of its leadership in the hard music scene; a banner for the valuable art form and means of expression. Despite all of the years and breakthroughs the company maintains their organic, family feel and business is still being conducted by fans of the music for fans of the music.