Bridget Baker
LiveOneAbout Bridget Baker
Bridget Baker, age 63, is an independent director of LiveOne (LVO) and has served on the board since October 20, 2019. She is CEO of Baker Media Inc. (since 2013) and previously had a 22‑year career at NBCUniversal, cofounding CNBC and serving as the first President of TV Networks Distribution (2006–2013), overseeing a $5B distribution business and contributing to more than $50B of M&A (Universal Studios, Bravo, Telemundo). She holds a BA in Political Studies from Pitzer College, where she has been an 18‑year Trustee and was honored in 2010 as a Distinguished Alumna .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBCUniversal | President, TV Networks Distribution; cofounder of CNBC; member of Management Committee | 2006–2013 (distribution role); 22-year career | Oversaw ~$5B content distribution; key player in >$50B M&A; expanded Olympic coverage; helped create Hulu; chaired Women’s Network (2005–2009) |
| Baker Media Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | 2013–present | Advises major media/tech companies |
| General Communication, Inc. | Director | 2013–2018 | Board service at Alaska-based communications provider |
| NBC Peacock Foundation | Board member | Not disclosed | Philanthropy/governance involvement |
| Sundance Channel | Board member | Not disclosed | Media governance |
| Women in Cable & Telecommunications | Board member | Not disclosed | Industry advocacy |
External Roles
| Organization Type | Organization | Role | Status/Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public company (prior) | General Communication, Inc. | Director | 2013–2018 | Largest Alaska-based communications provider |
| Nonprofit/Industry | NBC Peacock Foundation | Board member | Not disclosed | Foundation board service |
| Nonprofit/Industry | Women in Cable & Telecommunications | Board member | Not disclosed | Industry leadership |
| Media | Sundance Channel | Board member | Not disclosed | Channel board service |
| Private company | Baker Media Inc. | CEO | 2013–present | Advisory to media/tech firms |
Board Governance
- Independence: Baker is deemed independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) and SEC rules; all board committee members are independent .
- Committee assignments (latest): Compensation Committee member; Compensation Committee met twice in FY2025 .
- Attendance: In FY2025, the board met twice; all incumbent directors attended >75% of combined board and committee meetings, except Mr. Solomon (≥ two-thirds) .
- Executive sessions: Mr. Krigsman informally presides over executive sessions of non-management directors .
| FY | Audit | Nominating | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | Member |
| 2024 | — | — | Member |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director grant | $90,000 in RSUs per independent director | Calculated at grant-date FMV; pro-rata if <1 year service |
| Audit Committee member | +$10,000 in RSUs | Chair +$15,000 RSUs |
| Compensation Committee member | +$5,000 in RSUs | Chair +$10,000 RSUs |
| Nominating Committee | No additional compensation | — |
| Meeting fees | None | No per‑meeting fees |
| Cash retainer | None currently | Company plans to review adding cash elements; consultant to benchmark |
Performance Compensation
Directors are compensated primarily with RSUs; no performance metrics are disclosed for director equity grants.
| Fiscal Year | Stock Awards ($) | Grant Details | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $86,530 | RSUs; portion attributable to Oct 1, 2023–Sep 30, 2024 valued at $40,987; RSU pricing used for that period: $1.57; directors could defer vesting for tax | |
| FY2024 | — | No equity grants in FY2024; director compensation for Oct 1, 2023–Sep 30, 2024 determined in FY2025 | |
| FY2023 | $33,069 | RSUs; plan approved Sep 29, 2022 covering Oct 1, 2021–Sep 30, 2023 at $2.10 per RSU | |
| FY2022 | $146,483 | RSUs representing compensation for services in prior year; generally priced at $2.10 per RSU; vesting anticipated Oct 31, 2022 |
| Performance Metric | Applied to Director Awards |
|---|---|
| None disclosed | RSUs used for director compensation without stated performance targets |
Approximate RSU counts (illustrative, derived from disclosed fair values and RSU price):
- Oct 1, 2023–Sep 30, 2024: ~$40,987 ÷ $1.57 ≈ 26,100 RSUs
- Oct 1, 2021–Sep 30, 2023: ~$33,069 ÷ $2.10 ≈ 15,750 RSUs
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Entity | Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Director-related party transactions | None disclosed involving Baker | Related-party items disclosed involve Mr. Ellin (Trinad notes) and an affiliate of Mr. Wachsberger; no Baker-related transactions reported |
| Shared boards with competitors/suppliers/customers | Not disclosed | No interlocks noted for Baker in proxy filings |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Media distribution and strategy leadership (NBCUniversal TV Networks Distribution President; cofounder of CNBC) .
- Transactional experience (key contributor to >$50B corporate M&A) .
- Governance and diversity leadership (NBCU Women’s Network chair; service on multiple boards) .
- Education: BA, Political Studies, Pitzer College; 18‑year Trustee; Distinguished Alumna (2010) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares outstanding (Record Date) | 78,344,870 | 85,873,276 | 90,198,395 | 98,957,316 | 97,128,164 |
| Baker beneficial ownership (shares) | 65,900 | 96,545 | 96,545 | 187,021 | 247,531 |
| Ownership % (approx.) | ~0.08% (65,900 ÷ 78,344,870) | ~0.11% (96,545 ÷ 85,873,276) | ~0.11% (96,545 ÷ 90,198,395) | ~0.19% (187,021 ÷ 98,957,316) | ~0.26% (247,531 ÷ 97,128,164) |
Notes:
- SEC tables mark Baker’s percentage as “less than 1%”; percentages above are derived from disclosed share counts and are approximate .
- Beneficial ownership includes shares issuable within 60 days (e.g., RSUs/options if applicable) per SEC methodology .
Insider Trades
| Date | Form 4 Transaction | Shares | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | None located in available SEC filings for Baker | — | — | No Form 4 filings found via document search for LVO [List: Found 0 documents of type 4] |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independence affirmed; committee membership on Compensation adds oversight of pay; strong media/M&A background; adherence to policies banning hedging and limiting pledging improves alignment .
- Alignment: Director pay is equity-heavy (RSUs), with no cash retainer and no meeting fees; presence of additional RSUs for committee service modestly aligns incentives with long-term value .
- Attendance: Meets >75% attendance threshold in FY2025, indicating engagement; Compensation Committee met twice in FY2025 .
- Potential concerns/RED FLAGS: Board has periodically delayed determination of director compensation (e.g., FY2024), creating retroactive awards; company plans to introduce cash elements after consulting review, which could dilute equity alignment if not balanced . Related-party financing and arrangements exist at the company level (Ellin/Trinad; Wachsberger affiliate), though none involve Baker directly .
- Committee dynamics: Resignations/reshuffling (Audit/Nominating) in 2024–2025 increased workload on remaining independents; Baker remains on Compensation Committee under independent chair Jay Krigsman .