- Source: RIVR Media
RIVR Media is an American-based TV production company, specializing in reality and documentary programming. RIVR is responsible for Fixer to Fabulous, Whale Wars, Trading Spaces, Escaping Polygamy, Fat Guys in the Woods, Renovation Realities, Going RV, Friday Night Impossible with Jerry Rice, Great American Heroes featuring Trace Adkins, Run My Renovation, and much more. It provides programming for cable networks, including A&E, HGTV, DIY Network, GAC, Lifetime Movie Network, MTV, Fine Living, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, Weather Channel, History Channel, ESPN, Animal Planet, Game Show Network, TLC, Nickelodeon, Food Network, Court TV and TNN.
RIVR's production credits include documentaries, reality series, sitcoms, travel series, sports entertainment, and post-production services.
RIVR Media is owned by partners Dee Haslam and Lori Golden-Stryer, and is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Both Haslam and Stryer are Executive Producers for the company. Lori Golden-Stryer is CEO. She and HGTV co-founder, Bob Baskerville, are partners and co-owners of RIVR Studios, newly-renovated facilities in Knoxville, available to rent for shoots. After 20 years at RIVR, Rob Lundgren retired in 2019.
Company history
RIVR Media originally derives from Bagwell Communications, run by Ross Bagwell Sr. and Ross Bagwell Jr., a Knoxville Tennessee-based advertising agency. In 1985 Bagwell Communications formed a company named 'Cinetel Productions' and engaged with the cable network The Nashville Network (TNN) to produce 415 episodes of I-40 Paradise.
Over the next ten years, Cinetel developed programs for A&E, the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Travel Channel, Nickelodeon, and The Nashville Network. In 1994 Cinetel was sold to Scripps Howard, a national media company looking to launch HGTV. In 1998, Cinetel was renamed Scripps Productions. After the acquisition, the Bagwells formed a new company, Bagwell Entertainment LLC / Ross Television Productions, and continued producing programs for a variety of cable networks, including HGTV.
In 1999, Dee Haslam and business partner Rob Lundgren assumed control of Bagwell Entertainment renaming the company RIVR Media. In 2000 RIVR established RIVR Media Interactive—now RIVR Digital, which focuses on short form video production and marketing. In 2002 RIVR established RIVR Media Studios, a subsidiary focused on for-hire production and post-production services.
List of shows produced
Trading Spaces on TLC
Whale Wars on Animal Planet
Renovation Realities on DIY
Fat Guys in the Woods on The Weather Channel
Fixer to Fabulous on HGTV
Friday Night Impossible with Jerry Rice on GAC
Escaping Polygamy on Lifetime Movie Network
Great American Heroes featuring Trace Adkins on GAC
Going RV on GAC
Warehouse Warriors on DIY
Run My Renovation on DIY
All Star Kitchen Makeover on the Food Network
America's Castles on A&E
America's Riverboat Casinos on the Travel Channel
An Evening with Louis Grizzard on TNN
Appalachian Stories on the Travel Channel
Backyard Habitat on Animal Planet
Blog Cabin on DIY
Catastrophe Inc. on DIY
Classic Car Restoration on DIY
Classic Rides on DIY
Club Dance on TNN
Dance Line on TNN
Dancin' at the Hot Spots on TNN
Date Plate on the Food Network
Divine Canine on Animal Planet
DIY to the Rescue on DIY
Earthguide on the Discovery Channel
Easy Does It on the Discovery Channel
Ed the Plumber on DIY
Elvis Presley's Graceland on the Discovery Channel
Elvis Presley's Memphis on the Travel Channel
Exploring America on the Travel Channel
Family Table with Naomi Judd on the Food Network
Floors, Doors & Windows on DIY
Freeform Furniture on DIY
Gambling Games – Beating the House on the Discovery Channel
Gambling Games – Why the House Wins on the Discovery Channel
Garage Mahal on DIY
Good Life with Eddie Ellis on HGTV
Great Train Stations on the History Channel
Grounds for Improvement on DIY
Happy Trails Theatre on TNN
Hardscapes on DIY
Help on the Homefront on DIY
Hey Dude on Nickelodeon
High Roller's Vegas on the Discovery Channel
High Roller's Vegas 2 – The New Breed on the Discovery Channel
Homebodies on TLC
Homebuilding Digest on HGTV
The Human Canvas on TLC
Human Canvas 2 – Scared Skin on TLC
I-40 Paradise on TNN
Kitchen Accomplished on the Food Network
Knight School on ESPN
Lie Detector on Court TV
Little People: Big Conventions on the Travel Channel
Mailorder Makeover on Fine Living
Material Girls on DIY
Melody Ranch Theatre on TNN
Move it Outside on DIY
Naomi's Country Stars on the Food Network
Nick America on Nickelodeon
Non-Stop Slots on the Travel Channel
Pickin' at the Paradise on TNN
Randy Travis Happy Trails on TNN
Ready for the Road on TNN
Remodeling and Decorating Today on TNN
Robot Rivals on DIY
Rollerjam on TNN
Rollerjam Reborn on TNN
Score on MTV
Shadetree Mechanic on TNN
Tag Team on the Game Show Network
Tattoo Crazy on the Travel Channel
Tough Car Challenge on TNN
Travel Quest on A&E
US Poker Championship on the Travel Channel and ESPN
Ultimate Workshop II on DIY
Vegas Deals Revealed on the Travel Channel
Weekend Mechanic on DIY
The Whole Picture on DIY
Wish You Were Here on TNN
World Series of Poker on the Discovery Channel
The World's Largest Hotel on the Discovery Channel
Your Home Studio on TNN
Notes and references
External links
Official website