BAI
BAI Communications has named Kathleen Abernathy as a non-executive director. The former FCC member also served as executive VP, regulatory and government affairs at Frontier Communications and as a Dish Network director.
BECK
Beck Media & Marketing in Santa Monica, California, has promoted Tom McAlister to president and named him its first-ever partner. He had been a managing director, establishing Beck’s Austin, Texas, office.
CHARTER
Charter Communications has promoted Jessica Fischer to executive VP, finance, adding oversight of procurement, investor relations, internal audit and corporate planning. She had been senior VP, finance and treasurer.
DELOITTE
Deloitte has tapped Jana Arbanas to lead its telecom, media and entertainment (TM&E) sector in the United States. San Francisco-based Arbanas was a principal in Deloitte’s Risk & Financial Advisory (RFA) practice.
FOX NEWS MEDIA
Suzanne Scott has signed a multi-year contract to remain as CEO of Fox News Media. Named Fox News’s first female CEO in 2018, she had been programming president of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network.
HOPPR
Ad-tech firm Hoppr has named Georges Laplanche as head of network service providers and pay TV partnerships. The longtime Technicolor exec is tasked with pushing Hoppr into European markets.
MTV
Lance McPherson was elevated to executive VP, deputy general counsel, business and legal affairs at MTV Entertainment Group, adding responsibility for studios and MTV Documentary Films. He was senior VP, business and legal affairs.
MTV
MTV Entertainment Group also upped Bahareh Kamali to executive VP, strategic development. The 20-year Viacom veteran had been senior VP of strategic development and has played a role in company diversity efforts.
NEWSMAX
Newsmax TV has hired Rob Finnerty as anchor of its new weekday morning show Wake Up America. He most recently had been an anchor and reporter at Tegna-owned CBS affiliate WTSP Tampa.
NEWSMAX
Rachel Rollar has joined Newsmax TV as a national and international news reporter on Wake Up
America. She is the former co-host of Wake Up Charlotte on WCNC Charlotte, North Carolina.
NEXSTAR
Nexstar Media Group’s Nexstar Digital unit has elevated Lori Tavoularis to chief revenue officer/executive VP of revenue operations. Tavoularis joined Nexstar in June 2019 and had overseen digital revenue and operations.
TEGNA
Tegna has named Bill Dallman as president and GM of NBC affiliate KARE Minneapolis. He comes from Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned KOMO Seattle, where he had been news director since 2018.
BRIEFLY NOTED
Other industry execs making moves
The American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) has added four new directors-at-large to its board: Vita M. Harris, chief strategy officer, FCB Global; Kate MacNevin, global chairwoman and CEO, MRM; and Megan Pagliuca, chief activation officer, Omnicom Media Group. … Fox Business Network has added Lydia Hu as a correspondent. She comes from Spectrum NY1 News in New York, where she was a general assignment reporter. … Mark Bauch has joined Imagine Entertainment’s film group as senior VP, features. He had been senior VP of Imagine Television, working on drama and comedy projects. … Nexstar Digital elevated Jennifer Scilabro to senior VP, local digital sales, and Wil Danielson to senior VP, national digital sales, both reporting to Lori Tavoularis. … Video advertising software and insights provider Pixability has tapped Brian Atwood as chief revenue officer. He comes from video tech and data startup NOM, where he was CEO.
