Michael Cascio

Michael Cascio serves as executive vice president and general manager for Animal Planet. In that role, Cascio is responsible for overseeing all programming, management, business development, and operations for the network.

Since joining the network in mid-2001, Cascio oversaw the launch of the network’s most successful ratings success ever with the premiere of Animal Planet’s original movie, THE RETRIEVERS. In addition, under Cascio’s leadership the network has seen continued subscriber growth and an increase in ratings across primetime.

Prior to joining Animal Planet, Cascio was Vice President, Cable Programming Development for NBC News, where he started a major primetime programming initiative on MSNBC. As overseer of all long-form programs, Cascio’s accomplishments included the creation and production of MSNBC INVESTIGATES, CRIME FILES, WAGING WAR: THE SCHWARZKOPF DIARIES, as well as other specials and series. Cascio also supervised HEADLINERS & LEGENDS, producing profiles on a wide variety of contemporary figures.

Cascio signed on with A&E in 1990 as Director of Documentary Production, where he helped the network meet its growing commitment to original documentaries. Cascio developed the popular daily series BIOGRAPHY while at A&E as Executive Producer and Vice President, Documentary Programming. Cascio helped build BIOGRAPHY into a television franchise, handling production of over 700 original episodes, as well as creating the series’ trademark "theme weeks" and specials such as BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR and BIOGRAPHY OF THE MILLENNIUM.

As Senior Vice President of Programming for A&E, Cascio was responsible for the network’s overall programming strategy, and the production, content and scheduling of a wide range of programs such as BIOGRAPHY, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, original movies, performances, and documentaries. A number of Cascio’s projects have been cited for excellence, including three Emmy awards and an Oscar nomination.

Before joining A&E, Cascio was Executive Producer and Director of Public Affairs for the Capital Cities/ABC-owned WPVI-TV in Philadelphia where he created and oversaw award-winning news magazines, special programs and documentaries, after working as a news producer on the station’s top-rated newscasts. Before that, Cascio was a reporter, news director, anchor and producer for WHYY-TV in Wilmington, Delaware, the New Jersey Network, and WNET, New York.

Cascio is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was a trustee of the International Documentary Association. A native of the Washington metropolitan area, Cascio received a Masters degree in Communication from the American University in Washington, DC, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies from the University of Virginia. While in graduate school, he began his professional career as a courier for NBC News in Washington, DC, where he carried important items, such as breakfast and lunch, to crews and correspondents on Capitol Hill. His diverse work experience also includes being a clerk at the CIA and a backstage janitor at Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts.