Thomas K. Arnold Email & Phone Number

Carlsbad, California, United States

I am the publisher and editorial director of Media Play News, the only B2B publication serving the $30 billion home entertainment industry. I assumed the position in January 2018, after 12 years as publisher and editorial director of Home Media Magazine, which ceased publication in December 2017.

California Humanities is an independent nonprofit organization and a partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Since 1975, California Humanities has been promoting the humanities as relevant, meaningful ways to understand the human condition and connect us to each other in order to help strengthen California. The organization produces, funds, creates, and supports humanities-based projects and programs, eye-opening cultural experiences and meaningful conversations. For more than 40 years, California Humanities has awarded over $30 million in grants across the state, reaching every Congressional district.

Carlsbad, California

I am the President and CEO of JCH Media Inc., a full-service media and publishing company based in Carlsbad, California. Our Content Studio creates white papers, annual reports, executive profiles and other documents for clients ranging from the Hollywood studios to technology and market research firms. Our Publishing Division publishes Media Play News, the only Hollywood trade dedicated to the $30 billion home entertainment industry.

Santa Ana, California

Home Media Magazine was the leading trade magazine serving the $18 billion-a-year home entertainment industry. The magazine, published by Questex LLC, a trade show and media company based in Newton, Massachusetts, has ceased publication.

San Diego

I was hired as editorial editor for the U-T San Diego's North County edition, which launched in March 2013 but was discontinued in May. I subsequently became an editorial writer for U-T San Diego and a member of the daily newspaper's editorial board. I focused on the County Board of Supervisors but also wrote three to five editorials a week on a wide range of issues, from Obamacare to the Coastal Commission, land use, project labor agreements, water, and the Barrio Logan Master Plan.

San Diego

I wrote a weekly opinion column that appeared on Sundays on the editorial page of the North County edition, previously Lee Enterprises-owned newspaper known as the North County Times that the San Diego Union-Tribune acquired in September 2012.

Carlsbad

Appointed by Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall to the city Planning Commission in May 2011.

Contributes stories on home entertainment; writes box office report.

San Diego

I wrote features as well as monthly pop music and radio column in the 1980s and 1990s and, from 2002 on, edited the Front Pages compenium and later wrote a North County column. The features I wrote ranged from indepth investigative news stories on traffic along San Diego County freeways, local land use issues, and the drive to find a new airport to historical features (including one on the history of San Diego State University and another on the history of gay community) to profiles on mayors and other elected leaders. I also spent three weeks undercover with the San Diego Police Department's Narcotics Street Team for a three-part series on the local drug trade. I also wrote a series on education.

Santa Ana, California

After being promoted to Editor in Chief and Associate Publisher, one of my first tasks was engineering and overseeing the redesign of Video Store Magazine from a feature-oriented, standard-size magazine to a news-oriented tabloid. I worked with the art director to develop a prototype, and then did a "road show" in Los Angeles and New York with the publisher to show our new look to our key clients. I worked with the sales department to develop and produce special features, supplements and special issues, including a "Most Influential Studio Executives in Home Video" supplement that brought in nearly $100,000 in additional revenue. I also worked with my team to expand coverage from core video rental into sellthrough and DVD as our target audience broadened from independent video rental specialists to national chains such as Blockbuster as well as non-specialists such as mass merchants (Wal-Mart, Kmart), music retailers (Musicland, Tower), consumer electronics chains (Best Buy) and e-tailers (amazon). I consistently met with top studio executives and retailers to develop and maintain relationships. I regularly spoke at industry events, including the annual Video Software Dealers Association convention and various distributor trade conferences. I continued to set policy and direction for magazine, while delegating actual hands-on production to an executive editor. I developed a strategic relationships with the Hollywood Reporter (for a branded theatrical page and story exchange) and VideoScan, provider of the home entertainment industry's only video sales data (to complement in-house video rental data).

Santa Ana, California

I was promoted to Editor in November 1993. I was charged with setting policy and direction for the magazine. I also oversaw weekly production of the magazine, including developing story ideas with reporters, editing copy, writing headlines, supervising layouts and coordinating story packaging and design. I managed a staff of 12 editors and artists, and developed a style guide and training program to educate new hires about the home video industry. I also began venturing north to Los Angeles for meetings with studio executives. In the summer of 1994, I launched the very first Show Daily at the Video Software Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.

Santa Ana, California

In March 1993 I was promoted to Executive Editor, a position in which I worked closely with the Editor on all aspects of producing the weekly magazine. I supervised and directed news gathering; developed a“beat system” for news coverage; wrote three to four news stories each week; edited news copy and features; and was involved in the interview process for reporters and copy editors.

Santa Ana, California

I joined what was then Video Store Magazine in November 1991 as one of two Senior Editors, during a boom period for home video and the same month that the magazine went from monthly to weekly. I was responsible for gathering, reporting on and writing news; writing investigative features about various aspects of home video retailing; keeping track of new video releases from the studios; and editing. I had been freelancing for Video Store Magazine two years before I was brought onboard.

San Diego

I covered the San Diego pop music scene for the San Diego County Edition of the Los Angeles Times, writing concerts reviews, news features on local bands as well as national touring acts, and a weekly column.

I was freelance assistant radio editor for the weekly trade when Rollye Bornstein was radio editor. I contributed stores, covered trade shows and filled in for Rollye when she was on vacation, working out of Billboard's West Coast office (then under the direction of Sam Sutherland).

San Diego, California, United States

Co-founder, publisher and editor of Kicks: San Diego's Only Rock 'n' Roll Magazine, a controlled circulation monthly distributed throughout San Diego County covering the local music scene.

Business Management

Activities and Societies: Pop music critic, columnist and production editor, The Daily Aztec

High School, College Prep

Activities and Societies: Outstanding Freshman, 1972-1973; Outstanding Sophomore, 1973-1974; Outstanding Junior, 1974-1975

K-8

Catholic elementary school in Ocean Beach, San Diego.