• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, June 3, 2010

As Current TV co-founder Al Gore took the podium last month, he acknowledged a group of network executives before him, but saved distinct huzzahs for one in particular: "My friend, who's been of tremendous help to us -- the legendary Hank Close."

Gore was speaking at MediaPost's annual Outfront event with ad buyers in attendance, so it was a convenient truth. Close is well known on Madison Avenue from his years at Fox (starting as the network got off the ground), then serving as president of sales at both Comedy Central and MTV Networks.

At the end of 2008, he took his guitars -- he's an avid player -- and left MTVN after four years there. Next, he formed consulting firm Close & Co. and brought his expertise as an outsider to Current last spring. He continues to advise on matters that involve his ad sales métier, but stretch into research, marketing, programming and other areas.

"He's really a very market-oriented, experienced voice who knows his way around all of our constituents: advertisers, consumers, the cable landscape," said Current Media CEO Mark Rosenthal, who worked with Close at MTV Networks.

Rosenthal -- who was described by Gore as "esteemed" at the Outfront -- said Close was "an industry veteran who could be helpful in lots of ways."

At Current, which is placing a renewed focus on the upfront this year, Ken Ripley heads sales as executive vice president. Last week, the network expanded its MTVN connection by tapping John Arianas to serve as vice president of East Coast sales. Arianas spent 12 years at MTVN, with his most recent role overseeing sales teams for the MTV flagship and its Web site.

Current -- which turns five in August and is now in 60 million homes domestically -- said Arianas would play a top role in the coming upfront market. Close, for his part, is no stranger to that annual bob and weave, notably crafting a strategy several years ago where MTVN cut deals phasing in the emerging C3 metric.

At MTVN, Close oversaw sales at networks with target demos resembling Current's 18-to-34 segment. When Current was launched in 2005, a New York Times reviewer suggested it would merit the "punch line: MTV without the music." But she added, it is "not a joke" and has lived up to its promise as a channel "that gives its audience a voice in the programming."

That includes advertising as the network touts its viewer-created ad messages (VCAMs), which SunChips, Lexus and others have deployed. The network receives Nielsen ratings for internal use, but has not signed up to allow it to distribute them publicly.

At first, the network turned to viewer-created, short-form content to fill much of its airtime, but recently has relied on longer-form shows, such as "Vanguard" for investigative journalism and "Rotten Tomatoes" for film reviews.

"Our network will be anchored much more in longer-form programming that does reflect the original notion of the company, which is participatory storytelling," Rosenthal said. "But there's nothing in our DNA that says it has to be in three-minute clips."

Current Media is privately held, but in a 2008 filing, it sought to go public -- which did not materialize. It reported 2007 results as $63.8 million in revenue ($10 million in ad sales) and a net loss of about $17 million. Revenue was 68% higher, however, than the year before. Rosenthal said it is profitable now.