Alan D. Mutter is a senior media and technology executive, independent investor and consultant specializing in newspapers, broadcasting, information technology and the digital media.

The former chief executive officer of three Silicon Valley companies involved in broadband delivery and online media technology, he previously served as the chief operating officer of a national cable television company with more than $200 million in annual sales. As a journalist earlier in his career, he led the newsrooms of the Chicago Sun-Times and San Francisco Chronicle.

His recent consulting projects include advising Texas Pacific Group on its contemplated purchase of the Knight Ridder newspaper chain; the Sun-Times Media Group on new media strategies; the Fox Network Affiliates Board of Governors on its Internet strategy, and a division of Kyocera on marketing and technology developments in the mobile-communications industry. He devotes significant time to investing in and advising privately held new media companies delivering targeted content and advertising solutions.

Mr. Mutter publishes "Reflections of a Newsosaur," an online commentary on the technological developments challenging the traditional media. "Newsosaur" is a featured blog at the Readership.Org website operated by Northwestern University and frequently quoted by the Poynter Institute, New York Times, Dow Jones, Reuters, Forbes, Business Week, the Los Angeles Times, PBS, CBS.Com and other mainstream and online media outlets.

Mr. Mutter, 58, began his career as a journalist, rising to top editing positions at the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. During his tenure at both newspapers, the publications won numerous awards and set all-time circulation records in their highly competitive markets.

In 1988, he joined InterMedia Partners, a start-up that grew through acquisition to become the nation’s 12th largest cable TV system operator. Rising to the position of Chief Operating Officer, he managed coast-to-coast operations through the implementation of tough, new federal regulations. At the same time, he positioned InterMedia as a modern broadband-delivery company and successfully executed several M&A events.

Mr. Mutter left InterMedia in 1996 to join the first of three Silicon Valley start-ups where he was the Chief Executive Officer. In order, they were:

• Best Internet Communications, an innovative early Internet service provider that was acquired by NTT.
• Instant Objects, a pioneer in online classified advertising and e-commerce technology.
• SealedMedia, the producer of a digital rights management system that assures the secure transfer of media files wherever they travel on the Internet. The company was acquired by Oracle.

In his career, Mr. Mutter has raised and managed hundreds of millions of dollars in private equity and debt. He lives with his wife and teen-age daughter in San Francisco.