John Marko - Technical Operations / Systems Engineering

Professional Experience

CBS Television Network - CBS Operations & Engineering | New York, NY

2021 – 2024

Manage daily operations of the New York and Los Angeles Transmission Centers, ensuring 99.999% reliability and continuous performance of all systems supporting plant distribution and acquisition facilities.
Drive the design, innovation, and deployment of next-generation media distribution technologies that meet business requirements and integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure; define and execute Capital Project plans.
Maintain and expand existing and new vendor relationships to secure cost savings and operational efficiencies. Coordinate RFPs, RFQs, and POCs with prospective software and hardware vendors to support project lifecycle goals.
Develop and implement standard operating procedures and performance metrics to minimize downtime, enhance team efficiency, and improve Customer satisfaction while leading initiatives to cultivate a more technically advanced workforce. Investigate and report on operating anomalies and equipment issues.
Procure, administer, and manage circuit installations with major telecom carriers (AT&T, Crown Castle, Lumen, Verizon, Zayo) to provide audio, video, and networking connectivity between CBS production, News, and Sports facilities worldwide.

Led acquisition and distribution operations at the Broadcast Center for five globally televised NFL Super Bowls, including CBS’s first-ever HDR and 4K live broadcast workflows.
Directed the end-to-end transport connectivity project linking the Broadcast Center in Manhattan to the newly established uplink facility on Long Island, including carrier selection, budgeting, installation oversight, router integration, acceptance testing, documentation, and operational handoff to internal teams.
Promoted from Manager to Associate Director, expanding leadership scope to include operational and staffing oversight of the Los Angeles Transmission Center alongside increased responsibilities in New York.

CBS Television Network - CBS Operations & Engineering | New York, NY

2006 – 2020

Direct live event planning across Sports, News, and Entertainment clients, executing complex transmission plans and driving process and workflow improvements.
Manage system administration, software upgrades, technical documentation, and bug resolution for mission-critical broadcast and transmission systems; coordinate new equipment deployments and technical integrations with Engineering.
Evaluate, recommend, and procure technology solutions for transport systems interconnecting CBS properties worldwide.
Oversee staff scheduling, recruitment, and training; administer performance development, departmental policies, and annual budget planning for manpower, equipment, and overtime.
Configure and support encoding, compression, and encryption systems for IP, streaming, and satellite-based distribution networks.

Collaborated with internal teams to design and build a state-of-the-art facility to replace the 30+ year-old legacy New York Transmission Center and managed the transition of all operations, facilities, and staff into the new workspace.
Provided operational and technical leadership for the multi-phase transition of CBS’s satellite distribution platform from analog encoding to MPEG-2, AVC/H.264, and HEVC/H.265, modernizing delivery workflows and increasing channel capacity to affiliate stations nationwide.
Executed on-site Technical Management and end-to-end signal encoding, compression, and encryption workflows for high-profile live remote events-- including the GRAMMYs, Country Music Awards, Tony Awards, Daytime Emmys, Boston July 4th Fireworks, and major Sports programming-- ensuring flawless broadcast performance.

Home Box Office | New York, NY

2000 – 2006

Direct a team of engineers and technical staff to ensure the seamless delivery of remote content to satellite, cable, and OTT platforms for live HBO television events worldwide.
Evaluate, design, and implement the most cost-effective and reliable transmission routes and services, operating in a zero-tolerance-for-defects environment.
Monitor and ensure the performance of all transmission systems, including satellite uplinks, fiber paths, encoding, encryption, and multiplexing equipment, to maintain 24/7 reliability and minimal downtime.
Manage departmental operating and capital budgets, including annual forecasting, staff travel planning, and ongoing spend analysis and reporting.
Drive long-term strategic planning, new technology initiatives, and special projects to advance HBO’s remote transmission, full-time facility interconnects, and disaster recovery capabilities.

Led the network-wide conversion of HBO backhaul transmissions from analog to digital SD and HD, including defining technical specifications, vendor selection, negotiating service level agreements, procuring equipment, and overseeing integration and deployment.
Delivered error-free transmission and broadcast reliability for dozens of high-profile live remote events, both domestic and international, representing the network on-site as Technical Manager.
Implemented a shared database system to track and reconcile event budgets and estimates, increasing organizational efficiency, improving financial transparency, and reducing closeout processing time.

PanAmSat Corporation | Greenwich, CT

1997 – 2000

Perform detailed link budget analysis, transponder loading models, frequency coordination, and the determination of satellite and earth station requirements.
Conduct technical evaluations and troubleshooting of Customer networks, services, modulation schemes, bandwidth efficiency, and equipment to ensure optimal carrier performance and service reliability.
Collaborate with Customers to define potential applications, service architectures, and satellite fleet usage with an emphasis on digital data and video services.
Provide pre-sales and post-sales engineering support, including system design guidance, service configuration recommendations, and performance reporting.
Prepare engineering documentation, presentation materials, and proposal content to support sales, marketing, and Customer technical reviews.

Provided on-site Systems Engineering and technical support for Customers utilizing the PAS global satellite fleet and video transmission services at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics in Japan.
Increased revenue by identifying unused space-segment capacity, managing availability, and placing it into inventory for occasional-use services via the PAS transponder loading database.

AMC Networks (formerly Rainbow Network Communications) | Floral Park, NY

1996 – 1997

Support the design, testing, and maintenance of RF systems and baseband equipment for a mission-critical satellite uplink facility.
Ensure signal integrity, uptime, and SLA compliance by performing proactive RF performance checks, troubleshooting impairments, and executing real-time corrective maintenance.
Monitor and adjust incoming and outgoing video and audio baseband signals via uplink, downlink, fiber optic, and coaxial transmission methods.
Utilize spectrum analyzers, waveform monitors, and related diagnostic tools to verify link performance, isolate faults, and ensure continuous, high-quality broadcast transmissions.
Provide technical and engineering support for the studio operations, traffic, and encryption departments, and the Customer Affiliate Network.