Hello, gang –

This is a letter I had hoped to never write. It is with a heavy heart that I type these words, but here goes. I have carefully decided that it is time to step down as General Manager and Executive Producer of JBTV and embrace the next phase of my life. By no means did this decision come easy; in fact, it’s one of the hardest I have ever made. Alas, I thought it important that you were the first to know.

27 months ago, on New Year’s Eve 2009/10, I became the first ever General Manager and Executive Producer of JBTV. I knew coming in that, prior to my joining, the company had endured some financial problems. Our accountants and lawyers had told Jerry that, after 25 years of operating while never turning a profit, shutting down this iconic TV show was the only solution. Few outside of the JBTV walls recognized the dire situation and the importance of saving it and we all agreed we couldn’t let that happen. After some talks with Jerry, I quickly realized what needed to be done and I vowed to help make JBTV a viable, self-sustaining business. After some finagling with creditors, assembling a dedicated crew who worked tireless hours for a company that couldn’t afford to pay salaries, developing a strong, fresh vision for the future and creating a killer business plan, we managed to get the bank off of our back for a bit, allowing us to “borrow” some time.

It’s actually quite amazing what we’ve built in just over 2 years. Capitalizing on the only assets we truly owned — Jerry Bryant’s rich 25 year history and JBTV’s credibility — we got a head-start on a near impossible task. We were essentially a 25-year-old startup company with no money and mounds of debt, but the subsequent building process was exhilarating. I worked to inspire an immediate change in the look and feel of this iconic, yet outdated, TV show and decided that, in order to introduce fans to compelling new music, we had to focus on letting the artists speak for themselves with live performances, rather than cookie cutter music videos. The new JBTV HD sound stage was christened and launched into full swing. I also recognized that credible, fresh and inspiring personalities were also critically needed to introduce new artists to new fans, so I went on a search for the most trusted and dynamic new hosts. Ryan Manno, a mainstay at Q101 and the voice of Chicago music was an easy choice to lead the new JBTV show alongside Jerry Bryant. Brendan Kelly of The Lawrence Arms and Tobias Jeg from Red Scare Industries were also no-brainers with their incredible wit and interesting demeanors and long history of supporting Chicago music. Jenna Martinelli blew us away at her audition and was another easy choice to add as co-host. Ryan’s brother, Kevin Manno, also joined us for a while before he took a jump to NYC and joined MTV as host of The Seven. We also added the very talented Tanner Rittenhouse, Jamal Neff and Nicole Marsel as co-hosts. We had assembled an amazing cast of experts, talented influencers and music aficionados as the spokespeople for JBTV. All in all, the best panel of talent hosting any music program anywhere.

I knew from the very beginning that, along with trusted talent and good music, production quality was going to be a hallmark upon which to build. So, the search for the most talented production crew began. Over the course of 27 months, we’ve had dozens of wonderfully talented individuals dedicate their lives to developing the overall sensibilities of the new JBTV. From camera operators, talent bookers, editors, producers and production assistants to motion graphics artists, photographers, social media, audio engineers and web developers, I assembled a crack team that have worked superhuman hours; each of us sometimes toiling up to 100 hours a week. Never getting paid for a minute of it, but knowing full well that every second we put in was actively important in changing the landscape of music as we knew it. To put it in true perspective, when I started at JBTV, there were 4 people here — Jerry included. Since then, over 70 people have contributed their time and talent. Together, we have accomplished so much in such a short time, all while holding up the wall against our backs.

The new JBTV is what I’ve often referred to as “Music Industry 2.0.” We find new artists doing incredible things, making undeniable music. We invest in their “stock” by having them in our studio, where we record live records and create live music videos, at no cost or risk to them. We provide high-quality distribution platforms on television, online, mobile and radio, so that fans can easily discover them. We then market our original content with the understanding that any profit would be equally split with the artist, offering them a revenue stream that was not afforded to them via the traditional means of working with a music label. This “2.0” vision was a strong passion I brought with me and, as such, worked hard to develop the new and compelling JBTV web and mobile platforms. JBTV Radio, available in the next version of our free iPhone app will feature a 24-hour music stream that is literally one-of-a-kind. It will feature rare and exclusive live recordings, spanning thousands of hours, from every artist that JBTV has had the pleasure of working with — from Radiohead and Oasis to Dave Matthews Band and The Gaslight Anthem. Distribution deals have been struck with every major mobile carrier in the nation, including Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and more, to offer music fans unprecedented access to JBTV’s proprietary archive. We offer all of our content, for free, at JBTVonline.com, on the JBTV YouTube channel (launched in late 2011) and via downloadable, weekly iTunes podcasts. JBTV is poised to influence the lives of a new generation and deliver fans “New Music. Now.” I often repeated that we’d turn people on to music they’d never heard of, so that it would become music they can’t live without. I think we succeeded.

During seemingly endless weeks filled with 18-hour workdays, it’s understandably easy to lose sight of the tremendous gains our work has made. Allow me to remind you of a few things your efforts have helped create:

In just over 2 years, the show has gone from local access to national distribution on NBC. What was once available only in Chicago is now also broadcast every Saturday at 10pm in Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Washington DC, Virginia and many more cities.

For our hard work and passion, we received a combined five regional Emmy Award nominations (and walked away with one) in two years. 2010 marked the first time in 25 years that JBTV had been nominated, and I was extremely honored to have been a part of that. We also garnered a pair of Chicago Music Award nominations, of which we scored one award.

In total, we developed an astonishing 77 brand new, one-hour episodes of JBTV during my stewardship. Those episodes featured more than 400 emerging artists and over 100 local Chicago artists. Featured performers and bands include Against Me!, Silversun Pickups, Chrissie Hynde, Andrew W.K., The Gaslight Anthem, Chuck Ragan, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, Foxy Shazam, Allen Stone, Ben Kweller, Frank Turner, Bayside, New Found Glory, Hot Hot Heat, Anti-Flag, White Wives, The Arrivals, Say Anything, Alberta Cross, Circa Survive, Steel Train, JD McPherson, fun., MGMT, Slayer, Plain White T’s, Dawes, Minus The Bear, Bowling For Soup, Bouncing Souls, Nneka, Lisa Loeb, Fake Problems, Smoking Popes, Megadeth, Korn, Death On Two Wheels, Kill Hannah, RX Bandits, Portugal. The Man, Rise Against, Riverboat Gamblers, Street Dogs, The Frantic, AM Taxi, Free Energy, One eskimO, AWOLNATION, Maps & Atlases, Dan Andriano, Fitz and the Tantrums and hundreds more.

In 2011, JBTV partnered with the Smashing Pumpkins on their 2 re-releases of Siamese Dream and Gish. I had the honor of serving as Executive Producer on the DVD supplements that accompanied the three-disc box sets. In 2012, we also contributed to the band’s planned re-issue of Pisces Iscariot.

JBTV has also had the unique experience of being one of the only music television shows to document the 2010 and 2011 Lollapalooza festivals, the 2011 South By Southwest (SXSW) festival and Warped Tour ‘10 and ‘11. We worked grueling hours on all of those shoots to build shows dedicated to showcasing the countless talented performers that otherwise would not have a platform to reach out to new fans.

Beyond the music, we’ve had the great fortune of developing some amazing partnerships during my time at JBTV. Sponsors like Vitaminwater, PopChips, Reyka Vodka, Guitar-Cable.com, Emperor Cabinets, Red Bull, Sirius XM/Howard Stern 101, Almighty Guitar Cabs, Threadless, FanFound, Gibson Guitars, DO312.com, C3 Presents, Rock Razor Scissors, Chicago Music Guide and All Terrain were a breath of fresh air. While JBTV had never worked with sponsors in its preceding 25 years, we were able to organically align with these partners because of a shared love and commitment to music.

The list of accomplishments is vast. But it is truly dwarfed by my inexpressible gratitude to each of you for the role you’ve played – colleagues and fans alike — not just in the company’s growth, but also in my life.

The truth is, I owe my musical passion to JBTV. Having grown up with it as my tastemaker since the mid-1980s, I fondly recall huddling in front of my little TV late at night, waiting for the odd chance that quirky Jerry and his music videos would happen to be on one of the local channels. The show turned me on to great bands like They Might Be Giants, Social Distortion, Bad Brains, Smashing Pumpkins, Ramones and The Flaming Lips.

All these years later, it breaks my heart to write these words. I have spent the last 27 months giving my heart and soul to JBTV and I am so very sad to say that my time spent leading it has ended. I’ve thought about this long and hard and I’ve struggled with the decision through many a sleepless night. It is not for lack of wanting to be here, as I’ve enjoyed it immensely and learned a great deal along the way. Despite my departure, I wholeheartedly believe in JBTV, the brand, the crew and the mission. JBTV is at its greatest peak in its storied history, making the best shows it has ever made, continuing to feature great talent and influencing people around the globe to enjoy amazing music from deserving artists. I take great comfort in the fact that I’ve accomplished everything I set out to do, helped dozens of people and hundreds of bands along the way and left my mark on this era of great music television. But now, it is simply time to take my next great leap.

While I am saddened to leave JBTV, I am also extremely excited about my next stage in life. I look forward to spending more time with my wife and sons, contributing further to my non-profit Life After Hate, working on personal projects that I’ve put on hold for far too long, focusing on growing my entertainment company Goldmill Group, continuing to contribute to the Chicago art and music community and leading innovative efforts that help inspire the world around me. I have an innate need to create, innovate and work with other talented people. Shortly, I’ll be making a proper announcement about where else this exciting new leap is taking me. For now, know that I’ll be doing what I love.

My last event at JBTV will be the Chuck Ragan shoot on Monday, April 9th. I believe that Chuck is one of the most important artists of our time and I am honored that his performance will mark my exit from JBTV. I will leave JBTV with the utmost respect for the show and its rich history, Jerry Bryant, the man who has taught me so much, my crew, the bands and our faithful viewers. It was an absolute honor to serve as your General Manager and Executive Producer for these past 27 months. My departing hope is that I have left a lasting impression on the show and acted as a spark for the future of JBTV. Together, we’ve made tremendous progress; progress that I am honored to have led and worked hard to achieve. I will never forget a moment of this great experience and will always hold my time here as one of the greatest accomplishments in my life and a dream that I was able to fulfill. Thank you for your incalculable energy, time, faith, contributions and belief in me. Thank you for being such an integral and irreplaceable part in my dream. I am hopeful that our paths will cross again.

In closing, I wish each of you – my dear JBTV family (Jerry, Tim, Paul, Ryan, Tobias, Brendan, Jenna, Celestina, Aaron, Will, Jon, Tanner, David, Sam, Anthony, Ashley, Jamal, John, Ken, Kyle C. and D., Aidan, TJ, Robert, Martha, Nicole, Jason, Marty, Melissa, Mark, Phil, Kati, Biddy, and all of the rest I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside) – the best of luck, personally and professionally, and I look forward to huddling around my TV, to see the magic that you continue to create, for many years to come.

With respect,

Christian Picciolini