The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York’s Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below for a gallery of photos from on stage and behind the scenes, featuring honorees such as Dick Vitale, George Stephanopoulos, Debra OConnell, Bill McGorry and more.

Hoda Kotb, co-anchor on Today, announced on the NBC morning show September 26 that she will step down early next year. She said she made that decision after turning 60 last month. 

"I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new," an emotional Kotb said. 

Kotb and Savannah Guthrie have been co-anchors since 2018. Guthrie said the Today team doesn’t “want to imagine this place without you.” 

In a memo to colleagues, Kotb said her daughters, who are 7 and 5, and her mother, "need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie."

Kotb joined NBC News as a correspondent for Dateline in 1998 and joined the Today team in 2007, co-hosting the fourth hour alongside Kathie Lee Gifford. In addition to anchoring Today alongside Guthrie, Kotb co-hosts the fourth hour with Jenna Bush Hager.

Kotb temporarily stepped into the Today co-anchor role in November 2017 after Matt Lauer was fired. She took over co-anchor duties permanently at the start of 2018. 

Her staff memo said: “There’s plenty of time to talk about what’s ahead for all of us. But one thing I know for sure right now is this: everything’s going to be just fine. The Peacock’s feathers are never ruffled … no matter who comes or goes. ‘TODAY’ and its amazing people — all of you — never waver. You always weather change with grace.”

On the air, an emotional Guthrie said, “When you look around and see these tears, they are love. You are so loved.”

Kotb was inducted into the B+C Hall of Fame in 2022. 

WMXI, the Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said it named Jace Larson as senior director of news.

Larson had been director of newsgathering at Scripps News. Scripps News and WMXI are owned by E.W. Scripps.

Larson is replacing Dan Boers, who left the station in July.

At Scripps News, Larson oversaw the general assignment reporting team. He previously managed teams within the Scripps local-national operation before it merged with Scripps News.

Earlier in his career, Larson worked as a reporter at stations including KUSA and KMGH in Denver, KPRC Houston and KOKI Tulsa, Oklahoma. He won an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for uncovering and dismantling a foreclosure scam in Colorado.

Chenue Her is headed to KMSP Minneapolis, where he will be a morning anchor. He starts in October and will co-anchor Fox 9 Morning from 4:30-6 a.m. with Hannah Flood. 

Her comes from WOI Des Moines, where he has been a morning anchor. 

"We've been big Chenue fans from afar for years now, ever since he started next door in Iowa,” said Kelly Bishop-Huffman, KMSP VP and news director. “On the air and behind the scenes, he just has this incredible 'X-factor.' We couldn't be happier that he's coming home to the Twin Cities and joining our family as well as being back with his."

Before his time at WOI, Her was a reporter for WXIA Atlanta. He has also been a reporter at WVEC Norfolk and KEZI Eugene (OR). He began his career as an intern at KSTP and WCCO in Minneapolis, and at KCRA Sacramento. 

"Coming home and joining the Fox 9 team is a full circle moment for me,” he said. “As a proud Minnesota native and a Hmong son of east St. Paul, it's the greatest honor of my career to join the most iconic morning newscast in Minnesota made up of journalists I've looked up to. As refugees, my parents have been loyal to Fox 9 Morning News for a long time to keep them informed daily and now Fox 9 becomes a part of their family's story forever."

Kelly O'Connell will join Tom Butler for the 6-7 a.m. hours on Fox 9 Morning.

KMSP, known as Fox 9, is part of Fox Television Stations. 

 Jonathan Katz’s Free TV Networks has named Suzanne Satterfield as general counsel.

The company also said that Joe Cantrell was promoted to chief distribution & development officer and Ahtansios Tsiris was elevated to senior VP, digital, distribution and partnerships.

Satterfield had been with Warner Bros. Discovery where she was VP president and legal counsel for global rights management. Earlier in her career, she represented CNN and Court TV as a litigator at Troutman Sanders. She was also a writer and producer for CNN Headline News.

Cantrell had been executive VP, network operations and development. Earlier in his career, he was with Teton Ridge and Raycom Media.

Tsiris, who reports to Cantrell, has been senior VP, distribution and partnerships. Before that, he was at Screen Media and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have a seasoned lawyer like Suzanne join our world-class team. In this ever-changing media landscape, she brings a unique blend of legal and media expertise with a focus on managing complex entertainment rights issues,” Katz said. “We’re also thrilled to recognize Joe and Athanasios’ successful accomplishments during our company’s first year and look forward to them continuing to drive growth and innovation for Free TV Networks.”

Lance Frank has been named head of communications for CBS News, Stations & Media Ventures. He will oversee all internal and external communications for CBS News, CBS Stations, syndication, talent, programming, first-run syndication and division strategy. Frank will report to Wendy McMahon, president and CEO, CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures; and Chris Ender, executive VP, communications, CBS. 

In a memo to staff, McMahon said of Frank, “He is a gifted communicator, a great strategist and a trusted advisor. Just as important, he understands the power of collaboration. In a short period, he’s already energized, encouraged and empowered the cross-division team to work together. He truly sees the value, strength and effectiveness that emerges when people work as one team.”

She added, “Lance is the right leader at the right time to drive outreach for our division.”

Frank joined CBS in 2011. In January, he was named executive VP of communications. 

Since his promotion earlier this year, Ender said, “Lance has hit the ground running with speed and purpose, skillfully communicating new developments in the organization and amplifying our editorial coverage on broadcast, digital and streaming. He is a big thinker, an excellent adviser for senior leaders, and a terrific collaborator with all our CBS comms teams. Positive media relations and talent relations are core to his DNA (as are Saturday afternoons in the fall rooting for his LSU Tigers).”

Tim Wieland, KCNC Denver president and general manager, moves into a regional general manager role, with oversight of KCNC and KCBS-KCAL Los Angeles, starting October 14. All the stations are part of CBS News and Stations. 

Joel Vilmenay, who took on the KCBS-KCAL president/GM job three years ago, departs his position October 11. 

Wieland has been at KCNC, known as CBS Colorado, since 2001, initially as assistant news director, then as news director, then as general manager starting in 2021. 

Jennifer Mitchell, CBS Stations president, said: “Tim has been instrumental in leading the community journalism model in Denver, a pioneering approach that has reshaped how we cover local news and serve our viewers. This model has now become a cornerstone for other CBS stations across the country. In addition, Tim successfully executed a First Alert Weather brand in Denver, which has strengthened the station’s connection with its community — an experience that will be invaluable as we continue to grow the Next Weather brand here in L.A.”

Kristine Strain has been promoted to VP of news and station manager at KCNC. She became news director when Wieland was promoted to GM in 2021.  

WGBA, an NBC affiliate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said it named Bob Schaper was news director, effective October 28.

Schaper is currently news director at Nexstar Media Group’s WOWK in Charleston, West Virginia.

Schaper will be filling a vacancy left ob Ryan Scott, who moved to WTMJ, Milwaukee, which like WGBA is owned by the E.W. Scripps Co.

“Bob has a track record of success in driving increased ratings and shares across the newsrooms he has led while staying committed to quality journalism and storytelling,” said Jaclyn Clark, station manager and director of sales for WGBA. “He is a great fit for our newsroom and our mission.” 

Schaper started out as a newspaper reporter. He got his first TV reporting job at WREX in Rockford, Illinois. He worked at stations in Madison, Wisconsin;  and Eugene, Oregon, advancing from reporter to anchor to assistant news director before getting his current post.

Mike Nelson, senior VP of communications for CBS News, Stations and Media Ventures, will step down at the end of the month. After a long run in CBS Stations, he took on broader responsibilities in January, including supporting Wendy McMahon, president and CEO, CBS News and Stations and Media Ventures, and her executive team. 

Nelson joined CBS in 2002 as director of communications at KCBS-KCAL Los Angeles. He previously worked at NBC Entertainment, after getting his start in PR with the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. 

In 2004, Nelson played a key role in the birth of the KCAL Yule Log, featuring the burning log on-screen with Christmas approaching, and KCAL partnering with radio station KOST to create a music simulcast hosted by both stations’ anchors and hosts. The Yule Log, a tradition that began at WPIX New York, turned out to be a hit for KCAL. 

In 2006, Nelson was promoted to VP of communications, CBS Stations, overseeing communications for the CBS local TV group, which at the time included 39 stations. 

Nelson has been CBS Stations’ liaison with CBS Daytime’s The Talk since the show premiered in 2010, arranging for local anchors from across the CBS station group to appear as guest co-hosts on the program. 

During his time with CBS Stations, Nelson worked with seven different station group heads, and more than 60 station general managers. 

In 2017, Nelson spent six months as interim head of communications at CBS Radio, prior to the company exiting the radio station ownership business. 

The CBS stations were named B+C’s Station Group of the Year in the 2023 Station Awards. 

Nelson mentioned working with McMahon as a highlight during his time at CBS. “I met Wendy for the first time in 2008, when she was the creative services director at our stations in Boston. Her journey from CSD to CEO is amazing, inspiring and, in my opinion, not the least bit surprising,” he said in a memo to friends and colleagues. “I knew she was on a path to greatness and I’m so glad that I stayed at CBS long enough and have been fortunate enough to work with and learn from her.”

Nelson did not reveal what is next for him. “I believe this is the perfect time for me to spread my wings and pursue my next adventure,” he said. 

Mike Fisher, who had been executive director of investment innovation at GroupM, has joined Comcast Advertising as executive director, agency development.

In his new role, Fisher will work with Comcast Advertising’s leaders and focus on agency relationships and developing advanced advertising solutions to serve agency clients.

Fisher joined GroupM in 2020 as VP, advanced TV for EssenceMediacom and moved into a GroupM-wide role.

Before that he held posts at MediaMath, Brightline and Canoe Ventures.

He also service as an advisor to Octopus Interactive, which was acquired by T-Mobile.

Noticias Univision, the news unit of TelevisaUnivision, announced that it and long-time anchor Jorge Ramos have mutually agreed not to renew their contract, which will expire shortly.

Ramos will step down from his role as co-anchor of Noticiero Univision at the end of 2024, following the U.S. presidential election.

Ramos has been with the network for 40 years, 38 of them as co-anchor of Noticiero Univision, the most-watched Spanish-language newscast in the U.S.

“This is not a farewell,“ Ramos said. ”I will continue anchoring Noticiero Univision until December, and afterwards I will share my professional plans. I am deeply grateful for these four decades at Univision and very proud to be part of a team that has established strong leadership over the years.“

Univision News president Daniel Coronell said: “I want to express my respect and gratitude for Jorge Ramos and all he has done for Univision and the growing community we serve each and every day. As we look to 2025 and beyond, our talented team is well equipped to continue the tradition of journalistic excellence that has defined Noticiero Univision since the beginning.”

WPP’s GroupM media investment unit named Richard Hartell CEO of its EssenceMediacom U.S. agency, effective immediately.

Hartell most recently had been Global CEO of Media Future Group, the GroupM unit dedicated to the Google account. He will continue as WPPs’s global client lead for Google.

“Richard is a bright, capable and proven leader at GroupM,” said Sharb Farjami, CEO of GroupM North America. 

“He successfully led one of our most significant client relationships and has an unbeaten track record for driving success for the world’s leading brands over the years,” Farjami said.”His strategic skillset, industry expertise, and deep existing relationships with our clients make him a natural fit to lead EssenceMediacom U.S. into the future. We’re excited for Richard to continue his success at the agency, delivering the best of what GroupM has to offer.”

EssenceMediacom is one of the winners of the Advanced Advertising Innovation Awards, which will be presented during the Advanced Advertising Summit in New York on September 9. 

Hartell joined Essence in 2021 as global chief client officer for the Google account. 

“Richard’s track record with Media Futures Group makes him a great fit to lead EssenceMediacom in the U.S.,” said Nick Lawson, Global CEO of EssenceMediacom. “His dedication to the transformation and growth of our clients and our talent is unmatched. Richard’s tenacity and humanity is a winning combination.”

Hartell will remain on the Global EssenceMediacom leadership team and join the GroupM North America leadership team, reporting the Sharb Farjami, CEO of GroupM North America.

Before EssenceMediacom, Hartell spent nearly 20 years at Publicis Media, where he held the positions of Global Chief Strategy Officer and President of Strategy & Transformation. He also held various leadership positions at Starcom and Spark Foundry.

“Leading media for Google, at such a progressive agency as EssenceMediacom, has been

the highlight of my career,” said Hartell. “I couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey as we shape the next era of media within one of the world’s largest media agencies. This agency is home to the best talent in the business and we’re well-positioned to lead the way on how modern marketing through media, data and technology can make advertising work better for everyone.”

Abby Auerbach, executive VP and chief communications officer at the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB), will retire as of December 31. She joined TVB, a trade association representing local broadcast TV in the U.S., in 2000. 

Prior to her arrival, Auerbach was senior partner, Director Local TV and Radio, U.S. at Ogilvy, a position she held for nine years. She began at TVB as executive VP and added chief communications officer responsibilities in 2010. 

In 2020, she expanded her role to include executive director, NEXT Women, a program that helps identify and mentor females in the industry as they aspire to leadership roles. 

“Throughout her career, Abby has been a powerful and impactful industry leader that has significantly elevated the awareness of local broadcast television’s vitality and critical importance to local communities,” said Steve Lanzano, TVB president and CEO. “She brought her tremendous energy, passion and skills to bear in spearheading initiatives which have helped modernize the way the industry transacts business, provided sales teams at member stations and groups with timely resources to support revenue growth, and formed life-changing partnerships between industry constituents. Additionally, she has been a champion for women’s career advancement by mentoring women into industry leadership roles. We are very appreciative of Abby’s more than two decades of excellence in helping to establish TVB as an impactful trade association and wish her the best as she retires.”

Auerbach’s work at TVB includes developing the eBusiness transactional platform ePort, spearheading the TVB/Ad Council/NHTSA local TV impaired driving PSA campaign Project Roadblock, creating NEXT Women and growing the TVB Forward Conference, the virtual Sales Conference and live Executive Summit.  

“Having a career wholly focused on local broadcast television has been an extraordinary experience. From my earliest days at HRP, to Ogilvy and then for nearly 25 years at TVB, I’ve been privileged to be part of an industry focused on serving local communities and businesses in the most impactful ways,” said Auerbach. “I’ve worked with the smartest, most passionate people, and spectacularly talented teams who inspired me every day. It’s an exciting time for local TV broadcasters and I can’t wait to see where TVB and the industry lead this vital medium going forward.”

Brian Stelter has returned to CNN, where he is chief media analyst and lead author of the Reliable Sources newsletter, which he founded in 2015. Stelter joined CNN in late 2013 as senior media correspondent after a 6½-year run as media reporter at The New York Times. He hosted Reliable Sources on Sunday mornings, the show focusing on how the media covers the major stories, and departed CNN after the program was canceled in 2022.

Oliver Darcy was the lead author on the Reliable Sources newsletter and left CNN in August. 

Stelter had launched TVNewser in 2004 as a student at Towson University. He has been a Walter Shorenstein Fellow at Harvard University since CNN let him go. 

Stelter said the Reliable Sources newsletter relaunches Monday, September 9. 

“This is not going to be a Back to the Future remake,” he said in the newsletter September 3 . “The media industry has matured, CNN has evolved, and I have changed a lot since I signed off two years ago. I loved my old life as the anchor of a Sunday-morning show but, to borrow some lingo from my video-game blogger days, I finished that level of the game. Time for new levels, new challenges.”

Stelter said his new role will see him on air, developing digital content and helming the newsletter. “It will be different, because I am different,” he said. 

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group said it hired Christopher Young as chief financial officer of its The Weather Channel unit.

Young will also serve as executive VP of Allen Media Group, the parent company, which has been tightening its belt and laying off staffers. The company’s TV stations have also reportedly been slow in paying programming fees to the networks with which they are affiliated.

Young had previously been CFO at Spanish-language media company Entravision Communications and will report to  Byron Allen, founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group, and Christopher Malone, executive VP and CFO of AMG.

He replaces Bill Higgs as CFO at The Weather Channel. Higgs retired.

“Chris brings extensive finance and operational experience in the media industry spanning over three decades. His strong expertise and tenured capital markets background are valuable assets,” Allen said. “Chris adds great depth to our executive leadership team, and he will be instrumental to our business as we continue to grow rapidly and execute on a number of long-term strategic initiatives.” 

Before Entravision, Young was president of Vista Media. He also worked with the Bank of Montreal, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and Chase Manhattan Bank.

“I have been following Allen Media Group’s growth for years and I’m thoroughly impressed with what Byron and his talented executive team have accomplished,“ Young said. “Simply put, because of their vision, drive, and discipline, Allen Media Group consistently outperforms the industry. I look forward to working with the Allen Media Group team to help execute our continued growth and long-term strategies.”

Olivia Dangler has been named news director of KTVI-KPLR St. Louis. She has been news director at WDTN-WBDT Dayton, and starts in St. Louis October 7. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Olivia to St. Louis,” said Kurt Krueger, VP and general manager, KTVI-KPLR. “Her 20 years in journalism and 15 in leadership roles, Olivia is poised to not only maintain Fox 2 News and St. Louis 11 News as the leading news sources in the market, but also to drive innovation across our linear and digital platforms, as she has successfully done throughout her career.”

Dangler succeeds Audrey Prywitch, who retired in May.

Dangler has also been a news director at WHTM Harrisburg, and was assistant news director at WTTV-WXIN Indianapolis. 

“It’s my honor to join this amazing team of experienced, dedicated journalists and continue to build on the legacy of Fox 2 News/Saint Louis 11 News by focusing on stories that matter to the communities we serve,” said Dangler.

KTVI-KPLR is a Fox-The CW pair owned by Nexstar Media Group. 

Matt Starker, chief business officer at Endeavor Streaming, has been promoted and will be responsible for the company’s streaming revenue and commercial operations.

Starker will continue to oversee corporate strategy and the company’s media advisory and growth services.

He reports to Endeavor Streaming President Fred Santarpia.

“Matt’s expertise in designing and executing strategies, built to deliver commercial growth for the world’s leading media companies, is second to none,” said Santarpia. “With this move, Endeavor Streaming will be better placed to identify and unlock growth opportunities for our partners at an earlier stage in the drive from strategy to delivery.”

Starker joined Endeavor Streaming in 2020 and has overseen the company’s evolution from a technology provider to a strategic business partner that supports rights holders and media properties with end-to-end direct-to-consumer strategies.  

“It’s a privilege to work with such amazing partners and colleagues each day. As the sports and wider media industries continue to evolve,” Starker said. “I am excited about the opportunity to continue to partner with world class brands to support their commercial growth and to help make their direct-to-consumer services reach as many fans as possible.”

Endeavor Streaming is a subsidiary of Endeavor. Its portfolio includes streaming for sports organizations including the NWSL, WNBA, UFC, University of Texas, World Rugby, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and R&A.

UP Entertainment celebrates its 20th anniversary in October with a large footprint for its family-friendly content across cable (UPtv, which launched in 2004, and Aspire TV), subscription streaming (UP Faith & Family and AspireTV Plus) and free, ad-supported TV (FAST) services (Aspire TV Life and Cine Romantico). In addition, the brand has recently expanded to include acquisitions GaitherTV Plus, featuring country, gospel, bluegrass and Christian-music content, as well as a partnership with Christian-themed, kids-targeted SVOD service Minno.

Spearheading UP Entertainment’s business operations is CEO Charley Humbard. The cable veteran has steered UPtv to a top-50 Nielsen ranking among cable networks in households thus far in third-quarter 2024 — up 10 spots from the second quarter.

Humbard, the son of late television evangelist Rex Humbard, spoke to B+C Multichannel News senior content producer R. Thomas Umstead about UPtv’s successful two decades within the entertainment industry, as well as the continued expansion of the brand across multiple platforms. An edited transcript follows.  

As you approach 20 years at UPtv, how has the brand evolved compared to when you initially launched the service? While the brand has evolved from music — when it was originally the Gospel Music Channel — to now with general-entertainment content, it has stayed consistent in the genre of providing uplifting content. As I look back now to where we were then, we have been the creators and definers of uplifting entertainment over the past 20 years of our journey. 

Given today’s crowded television environment, is there a place and audience for uplifting, family-friendly entertainment? I think so, now more than ever. I hate to say it, but the general environment today is supercharged and full of a lot of negativity. People really need a refuge and a place to go and get away from it all and get good stories that inspire them and remind them that faith, family and relationships are still so important. I think that speaks to why we are having the success that we’re having in experiencing the greatest growth in revenue and profitability for our services. It’s the perfect storm for us right now. 

How do you see AspireTV developing as an outlet for African-American viewers looking for programming catered to them? We wanted to stay true to what [AspireTV founder] Magic [Johnson] really wanted to establish for the network, which was a place for Black and urban viewers to see themselves in a positive light. We’ve added lifestyle programming such as cooking and travel to the network’s lineup. We recently launched AspireTV Plus, and we’re seeing really great success with that. 

How aggressive will you continue to be in expanding the UPtv brand into the streaming arena, as well as through content acquisitions? We’re looking at opportunities constantly to acquire things that I think can really help serve this audience. We recently completed a partnership with Ovation where we now represent [both companies] to advertisers and to cable operators and distributors. It’s a great addition for us. But with anything we always want to remain a reliable place that people can trust and know that the content is going to be right for them and their family. That philosophy works great for our distributors, advertisers and viewers.

Why is it important to you to extend the UPtv brand beyond television through community initiatives like “UPlift Someone,” which promotes acts of kindness and social responsibility? Nothing makes your brand more real than putting your sweat, blood and tears and personal time into it. I think that the kind of people we hire and the culture that we have built up at UPtv makes our people eager to go out and uplift others and do these things. Being uplifting to others is a core value of our company, and I think it’s really important that you live your brand. 

It’s the year of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, of Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky — a year when T-shirts declaring “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” are seemingly everywhere. 

This sudden shift in the sports landscape was actually years in the making. And while behind-the-scenes momentum behind the scenes has been far more gradual, industry leaders are hopeful this year of women in the game will help spark further change. 

“There’s so much momentum around women’s sports right now and I’m a big believer that all ships rise together, so there’s real opportunity here,” Women Leaders in Sports CEO Patti Phillips said. “We really want to leverage this momentum to create change for good — we need women in the room where decisions are being made.” 

Still, Phillips believes that while change is happening, it’s the pace that is lagging. “It has been a slow go and there are a lot of things that aren’t said publicly,” she said. “But if you heard honestly from women about their life working in sports, it’s not good. While there are more men who are allies and who are becoming aware of unconscious bias, there’s still a long way to go. The culture still is not where it should be.”

Mountain West Conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez, the first Hispanic commissioner in NCAA Division I history, agreed. “You see a lot more women in the pipeline but not at the top echelons,” Nevarez said. “I can’t tell you how many times a job opens and the media riffs about a list of potential candidates but they don’t even include a woman. In the job, softer skills — collaboration, building consensus, coming at issues with humility — are an asset, but we aren’t getting in the interview pool and when we do there are inherent historical biases. There’s just a long way to go.” 

Still, the younger generation is more optimistic. “I definitely have not faced as many challenges as my peers in the past,” said Jill Schwartz, marketing manager for FAST Studio Streaming Networks, which includes the fledgling Women’s Sports Network. 

Added Courtney Stockmal, who directs football and soccer games for Fox Sports, “In the 15 years I’ve been in the industry it has definitely changed.”

NFL Network senior director Sara Ries agreed. “Now there are so many jobs for women,” she said, which was not true when she graduated college in 2005. 

And as they ascend the ladder, these younger women are mindful of reaching back. “As you grow in a company and have more of an influence and more of a voice, you can speak up,” NBC Sports senior producer Alexa Pritting said. “Making workplaces more inclusive is such a huge priority for me.” (As lead producer of the Paralympics, Pritting emphasizes diversity efforts toward other underrepresented communities, particularly people with disabilities.)

“Representation matters,” she added. “If you see somebody else doing the job that you want, then you know that it’s available to you.” 

More Than Just a Game 

This year may be remembered for the achievements of Biles, Ledecky, Clark and Reese, but there’s another woman seeking to be a game-changer at a totally different level. Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign represents the chance to shatter the ultimate glass ceiling. And that, Nevarez and Phillips said, could have an impact that goes beyond politics to the sports and media worlds. 

Any time a woman is elevated into any leadership role, it encourages girls and women to pursue their dreams in any and every field. “That would have a ripple effect over generations quicker than anything else could,” Nevarez said. 

Colie Edison
Chief Growth Officer, WNBA

KEY STATS: This position was created for Edison, who started in early 2022. She oversees all revenue generating business operations: corporate sponsorships, media partnerships, digital products, business development and bringing in new partners, app upgrades, sports betting and merchandising. Edison is particularly proud of a recent deal adding used car retailer  CarMax to the “Changemaker” roster of top sponsors that get more involved in the league. 

“This year I’ve seen more demand from the fans and the corporate partnership
side,” she said of the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese phenomenon. “We can’t keep our merch in stock.”  

VARSITY STATUS: Edison joined Bowlero Corp. as VP of marketing in 2013 before becoming chief customer officer in 2017; two years later she began simultaneously working as CEO of the Professional Bowlers Association (the first female CEO in PBA history), where she landed a new partnership with Fox Sports. 

“I was as good a bowler as I am a basketball player — for basketball in fourth grade, I was voted MVP, which was Most Valuable Passer, because whenever I got the ball, I would just pass it to somebody else,” said Edison, whose high bowling score is 133. “I have always been in love with the business of sports and how to elevate niche or emerging sports and leagues and bring them to the next level.” 

IN HER OWN WORDS: “I grew up watching Knicks games with my father, and I was able to take him to Knicks playoff games as he turned 70 and was going through remission of a cancer treatment, which was the proudest moment of my life. This job didn’t exist when I was starting out but I had my passion for sports and entertainment mixed with my salesmanship and my revenue generating capabilities. I also had this drive to elevate the underdog. And I’ve always been a fan of basketball and female empowerment and encouraging women to strive for what they believe in and to never let anybody else set limitations for them. This league allows me to bring those passions to life in a way that has such a big impact on so many people.” 

Gloria Nevarez
Commissioner, Mountain West Conference

KEY STATS: Nevarez became commissioner of the Mountain West in 2023, focusing on revenue and distribution while also keeping the conference united and “maintaining our position in the NCAA ecosystem,” she said. 

Nevarez must build consensus among a majority of her constituents, whether they are university board members, athletic directors or coaches. “Right now we are all aligned and rowing in the same direction with a common vision with our most recent contracts,” said Nevarez, who is also president of Women Leaders in Sports.

VARSITY STATUS: In her previous role as commissioner of the West Coast Conference, Nevarez became the first Hispanic-American to lead an NCAA Division I conference. She had previously worked at senior levels in the administration of the Pac-12 Conference and at the University of Oklahoma, the University of California, Berkeley and San Jose State University. She attended the University of Massachusetts on a student-athlete scholarship for basketball and then earned a law degree from Berkeley. 

IN HER OWN WORDS: “While in law school I did an externship with the school’s athletic compliance folks and it was the first time I had really thought about how you can use a legal background. I went into labor litigation, thinking I could get into pro sports that way, but I came sniffing back around colleges and became San Jose State’s first full-time compliance person. I took a 50% pay cut. My parents said, ‘What are you doing?’ But I got to build a program from scratch. I wasn’t thinking about becoming a commissioner, I was just so thrilled to be in sports and in such a new field. I didn’t really have aspirations of leadership until I got to the WCC the first time and started serving on national committees and saw a pathway.” 

Patti Phillips
CEO, Women Leaders in Sports

KEY STATS: Since Phillips took over in 2010, Women Leaders in Sports has experienced triple-digit growth in membership while attendance at its national convention has grown by 250%. She oversees the organization’s leadership events and programs, including podcasts for career advancement for women.

“We prepare and position women to work and lead in sports,”Phillips said, adding that the organization is seeking to “leverage the momentum happening right now around women’s sports. Everyone is into women’s sports right now, which is awesome. But no one’s talking about women working and leading in sports and that’s where we come in.”

Phillips also created and leads the Women Leaders Performance Institute, a development program for all business industries, designed through the lens of sports.

VARSITY STATUS: Phillips took over as CEO in 2010 when the organization was the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators. She led the shift to focus on advancing women into leadership positions; she eventually helped rebrand the organization in 2017 as Women Leaders in College Sports before expanding its purview with the current title last year. She said 80% of the group’s members are still in the collegiate space, but they now work with the NFL and their women’s program, with the LPGA and with several NWSL teams. 

Phillips made her name coaching basketball and volleyball at Ottawa University in Kansas, remaking a losing basketball program into a nationally ranked one. Then she worked for the NCAA as the CHAMPS/Life Skills program coordinator. She was also color analyst for collegiate women’s basketball and volleyball. Phillips spent 11 years as executive director of the Women’s Intersport Network in Kansas City, a nonprofit focusing on leadership development in girls and women through participation in sports.

IN HER OWN WORDS: The NACWAA was an advocacy group that was writing letters saying, “we don’t like this or that,” but it had lost the energy and focus for what was needed so I wasn’t interested in the job initially. But I saw potential in women coming together to have a voice, so we rebuilt with the idea of women helping women so we changed our mission statement from an advocacy organization to a leadership organization. We’ve become a career leadership and career strategy organization. We advocate by advancing leaders. 

Alexa Pritting
Senior Producer, NBC Sports

KEY STATS: Pritting oversees the network’s coverage of the Paralympic Games and produces NBC’s Olympics figure skating and gymnastics broadcasts. She is also a producer on many national and world championships, such as the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She has won four Sports Emmy Awards.

VARSITY STATUS: A competitive figure skater in high school, Pritting later studied broadcast journalism at Syracuse University. After briefly working at ESPN as a figure-skating researcher, she joined NBC for the 2008 Torino Winter Olympics. This year marks her 10th Olympics and sixth Paralympics. She has been overseeing Paralympics coverage since 2017.

IN HER OWN WORDS: “This is just a dream job and it keeps growing and getting better. When I went to Syracuse, I was a little burned out from figure skating and looking for a fresh start where no one knew me as that figure-skating girl. But then when the 2008 NBC Torino Olympic internship came around, Molly Solomon, who’s now my boss, asked if I knew about any of the sports being covered. I actually thought, ‘Should I say it?’ But I did tell them. My initial intent was to get as far away as possible and then it sucked me back in.  But I loved it and wanted to go to as many Olympics as I could. It will never cease to be exciting. And overseeing the Paralympic productions has been invigorating.  It still has so much potential and I want to apply everything I’ve learned at the Olympics to growing the Paralympics. There is just so much we need to do still on that property.” 

Sara Ries
Senior Director, NFL Network

KEY STATS: Since ascending to senior director in 2022, Ries has taken on more responsibilities for big-picture planning. “I’m doing more on the creative side of planning larger events, like the remotes we put together for international games and relaunching Good Morning Football, which was previously in New York, for the West Coast,” she said. 

But her proudest achievement has been her contributions to the new NFL Media studio in Inglewood, California. “We really got a chance to design a studio from the ground up, laying out sets and stages,” Ries said.

VARSITY STATUS: Ries joined NFL Network in 2006 after one year as an anchor/reporter for KQTV St. Joseph, Missouri (known as KQ2), after graduating from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. She’d been inspired in high school by a local sports reporter who spoke to her class. “I thought, ‘This is not a real job,’ ” she recalled. “I thought I’d have to be in a cubicle 9 to 5.”

While she initially presumed she’d pursue a career in front of the camera, her time at KQTV   — “putting on makeup in five minutes in the van, pulling the camera, getting a four-minute hit and being done for the night” — quickly lost its appeal. 

At NFL Network, she was drawn to the energy and excitement of the control room. “I wanted to be calling the shots,” she said. After three years as a production assistant, she rose to senior associate director and then, in 2014, she became a director. Ries was promoted to her current title in 2022. 

IN HER OWN WORDS: “As a senior director, I get to do more hiring and make more decisions about the people coming into our building. As you come up the ladder, you have more of a voice and can say, ‘Maybe we aren’t casting our net wide enough.’ I think we’re doing a better job at being very concerted in our efforts now. That’s been a big push in our production department. When you bring those voices into the room, women and minorities who weren’t getting the chance but who are super-qualified, that feels awesome.” 

Jill Schwartz
Marketing Manager, FAST Studios Streaming Networks

KEY STATS: Schwartz’s portfolio at FAST Studios includes the Women’s Sports Network (the first 24/7 streaming network dedicated to women’s sports); Team USA TV, the official Team USA free ad-supported TV (FAST) channel; and Racing America.
She designs all marketing materials, including presentations, sales one-sheets, channel key art, tune-in graphics, CTV billboard campaigns and additional branding assets, and works with the sales team to execute request for proposal (RFP) decks for brand partnerships. As lead designer in deck proposals she helped land high-profile sponsors in 2023, including Michelob Ultra, Frito-Lay and State Farm. “We’re really seeing the growth of these leagues,” Schwartz said. “We now have 17 league partners with the Women’s Sports Network, which is really exciting.” 

VARSITY STATUS: Since graduating from Emerson College, Schwartz has worked in marketing, publicity and creative services at Allied Global Marketing, DistroTV and B2+: The Custom Content Company.

IN HER OWN WORDS: “I always wanted to find the center between art and business, and marketing is kind of that sweet spot. I love to do art on the side, and I just felt like it was a really creative industry to get into. I didn’t follow a ton of sports growing up, but jumping into the FAST space, I became more of a fan and it has been quite a journey. Working for a start-up means having a really hands-on job and wearing a dozen hats, learning about everything from channel development to content production. Launching our first signature studio show, which is kind of the women’s version of SportsCenter, was incredibly exciting and I was on set every day watching the production, which was led by a women-driven team of producers, hosts and editors. It really became a groundbreaking initiative.” 

Becky Somerville
Senior Director of Production, FanDuel TV

KEY STATS: Somerville joined FanDuel TV (formerly TVG) in 2017 as senior producer, which led to her current job. She oversees horse-racing content for FanDuel TV, running the production of content and managing teams both behind and in front of the camera. 

VARSITY STATUS: Somerville grew up loving horses. “I started out watching horse racing on TV with my mom,” she said. “Then a racetrack opened in Minnesota, not far from where I lived, and I went out there and completely caught the bug. I wanted to be a jockey but got too big so I went to the racetrack industry program at the University of Arizona.”

While working as an assistant trainer at Santa Anita Park, she was given a shot as on-air talent for HRTV. Knowing that life on the back side of the track was limited and led to burnout, she seized the chance. She later moved into production and worked as both producer and talent for several years. 

IN HER OWN WORDS: “My former boss at HRTV saw potential in me. They had done a feature on me when I was an assistant trainer and she loved the way that I looked on camera. I would never have seen it — when I was in school, I was nervous giving speeches, you would hear my voice tremble, but you just take a leap of faith. I like being on the production side more. But I had no idea how TV was put together and had to learn everything from scratch. But I have a rounded experience and can see the race from the viewer’s side, the industry side and the gambler’s side, and felt like I was the one who could pull it all together. I still do get to go to the big races and I can still go and pet horse noses any time I want.”

Courtney Stockmal
Lead Director, Fox NFL Kickoff, Fox Sports 

KEY STATS: In recent years, Stockmal has been the director for Fox NFL Kickoff, Fox’s Super Bowl pregame and postgame, the FIFA Women’s World Cup and World Cup, plus MLB on Fox, Fox College Football and other shows. 

“One of my proudest moments in the last five years was being part of the Super Bowl pregame show in Miami in 2020,” Stockmal said. “But the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was one of the most difficult projects we could ever do — trying to do television in the Middle East with a crew that spoke a different language, had a different religion and outlook, while we were moving an entire American production halfway across the world. But our team just knocked it out of the park.” 

Stockmal also cited her work with virtual-reality sets for recent soccer tournaments as a rewarding project; she produced 200 hours of live programming over 30 days. “The only real things were the talent and the desk that they sat at,” she said. “Everything else was completely created on a computer screen and it’s never been done before.” 

VARSITY STATUS: Stockmal joined Fox Sports in 2013 and, as an associate director, worked on the 2015 World Series, Super Bowl and World Cup.  While working at Fox Sports, Stockmal has also freelanced as an associate director for The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Entertainment Tonight. She also worked on the 2016 and 2020 Olympics for NBC.

IN HER OWN WORDS: “I was an elite swimmer growing up and I knew I wanted to do something in sports, maybe medicine or psychology. My dad married a local news anchor and in high school she took me to work and I got to see behind the scenes of how TV worked. My eyes lit up and it was like the angels were singing, I had found what I needed to do.”

It’s a disruptive time in the TV industry as shifting business models are leading to sea changes in how video content is watched, distributed and monetized. Fortunately, there’s also no shortage of rising industry stars who are up to the challenge of being creative and innovative enough to keep things moving forward. 

For over a decade, Broadcasting+Cable, Multichannel News and Next TV have honored a select group of industry pros under 40 — both established veterans and up-and-comers — as part of the 40 Under 40 New York awards program.  

The 40 Under 40 awards are designed to honor those at the forefront of a changing industry. Through a nomination and judging process, B+C Multichannel News has selected a group of creative, tech-savvy visionaries helping to lead media in new directions, wherever the viewers are. 

The 2024 New York 40 Under 40 class will be honored at a gala party September 12, capping off Future B2B’s NYC TV Week of events, which also includes Advanced Advertising, the Hispanic Television Summit and the Next TV Summit. The 40 Under 40 awards party will take place at the 230 Fifth Rooftop at 230 5th Ave. in Manhattan. 

For more information and to register, visit tvweek40under40.com. 

Below, read more about the 2024 40 Under 40 New York, listed alphabetically. 

Greg Barnard
Senior Director, Content Acquisitions and Strategy, Vizio
Barnard has elevated Vizio’s WatchFree Plus streaming service to the next level. With a portfolio boasting more than 300 channels and 15,000 on-demand titles, he has led negotiations with numerous media partners. He has secured exclusive content deals for acclaimed shows such as @Home with Tori, featuring Tori Spelling, and The Pantry, hosted by chef Tom Colicchio. He oversees the team responsible for negotiating and closing content, service and tech agreements for WatchFree Plus, all while unifying processes, implementing efficient project management strategies and strengthening relationships. With more than 17 years of industry experience, Barnard’s influence extends far beyond Vizio. This is evident in his roles as a founding board member for HRTS Associates NYC, adviser for Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) and mentor with the T. Howard Foundation and Ghetto Film School. Barnard’s relentless dedication and visionary approach continue to shape the future of entertainment.

Kevin Belbey
Sports Media Agent, Creative Artists Agency
Belbey represents many top sports broadcasters, including Noah Eagle (NBC Sports), Fabrizio Romano (an Italian sports journalist) and Kevin Brown (Baltimore Orioles/ESPN). He also signed former NFL stars Devin and Jason McCourty, negotiating a multiyear, seven-figure-per-year deal for Devin to join NBC Sports as an analyst for Football Night in America, and a deal for Jason to join CBS Sports as an NFL and college football game analyst, in addition to co-host of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football. Belbey also hustled to sign Ian Eagle in 2022, who recently succeeded Jim Nantz as the play-by-play person for the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four for CBS Sports and TNT Sports. Upon NBC Sports’ acquisition of Big Ten media rights, Kevin orchestrated several prominent moves that would see CAA clients define NBC’s coverage, including Noah Eagle as the featured voice of NBC’s Big Ten Saturday Night football package. He also represented Drew Carter in his contract to join the Boston Celtics as a play-by-play announcer.

Noella Charles
VP, Development & Original Production, Unscripted, WE tv/AllBlk
Charles has helped revitalize WE tv’s offerings, executive-producing brand-defining, celebrity-driven ensemble docuseries, including Keke Wyatt’s World, chronicling the journey of R&B/gospel artist Wyatt; Toya & Reginae, following Atlanta’s dynamic mother-daughter duo; Bold & Bougie, featuring five women determined to live unapologetically on their own terms; The Barnes Bunch, following NBA champion Matt Barnes, his fiancée, model Anansa Sims, and their blended family of six children; and Love During Lockup, about couples fighting to keep their love alive while one partner is incarcerated. While at Viacom, Charles helped lead BET’s music series 106 & Park to its highest ratings with various segments and larger awards-show initiatives and worked as a coordinating producer on MTV’s Wild ’N Out. At Fuse TV, she launched shows such as Trending 10, and was a producer for The People’s Choice Awards on E!

Beau Decker
VP, Growth Marketing, Endeavor Streaming 
Decker leads a team of marketing strategists, analysts and data scientists who operate as an extension of Endeavor Streaming’s clients to help them scale their businesses through marketing, analytics, data and technology, and to drive efficiencies across acquisition, retention and monetization of direct-to-consumer businesses. He has established himself as an effective leader who is highly proficient in implementing unified business strategies that embrace the complexities of the modern media ecosystem. His unique mix of business expertise, understanding of advanced technological marketing and data capabilities and his customer-centric approach directly impacts clients’ ability to maximize the value of their direct-to-consumer streaming businesses. Decker developed the Endeavor Streaming Audience Development team as a direct result of a market challenge: Regardless of an organization’s size, OTT teams often lack the resources to run and scale a streaming service efficiently. Since its inception in 2022, the team has successfully supported a substantial number of high-profile clients, including UEFA.tv and UFC Fight Pass.

Kirby Dixon
Director, Publicity, History 
Dixon has spearheaded the communications campaigns for tentpole History series including Alone, which The New Yorker recently called “the best reality series ever made;” The Harlem Hellfighters, executive produced by Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts; 761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers from Morgan Freeman; and The Curse of Oak Island, among others. She stands out for her thoughtful, creative and nuanced approach to every project, her co-workers said, mining each story for the significant and often untold aspects. Her never-give-up attitude has led to key placements for programming with New York Magazine, The New Yorker, MSNBC, GMA, CNN and other key media outlets. In the past year alone, Kirby has worked to gain access to some of the most high-profile U.S. government locations and officials for key press events. She facilitated a conversation between the nation’s first Black secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, and Morgan Freeman at the Pentagon to discuss 761st Tank Battalion. She’s also a tireless champion for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at History and parent A+E.

Tori Fernandes
VP, Corporate Communications, The Walt Disney Co. 
Fernandes has unified Disney’s narrative across its streaming, digital and linear properties as one authoritative entity, and the integrated strategy has reinvented the way the company comes to market. In January, her corporate communications team spearheaded all press for Disney’s Global Tech & Data Showcase, which took place in person for the first time at CES. The team created an intentional campaign that cascaded throughout the week. This strategic plan included a press preview with key executives and journalists; exclusive stories with various publications aligned with the timing of the showcase; six separate executive interviews and panels during the week that led up to the event; and live social media coverage that extensively followed the excitement on stage. Amid an incredibly competitive CES news cycle, Disney Advertising clinched over 50 unique headlines for exclusive feature stories and organic placements. Also helping cut through the noise was a video message from CEO Bob Iger that Fernandes helped produce. 

Joe Fitzpatrick
Director, Programmatic Partnerships, NBCUniversal
Sitting at the crossroads of technology and addressable advertising, Fitzpatrick has rare knowledge of the industry landscape. Whether engaging with clients and understanding their challenges or seeing opportunities in the content provider world, his multifaceted approach to solutions has been a boon for the companies he has worked for and with. Fitzpatrick joined NBCU in June, following stints at Minute Media, USA Today Network, AP and Fox News Channel. He drives the continued adoption of automated, data-driven and programmatic media buying across NBCU’s portfolio of digital and streaming assets. Colleagues said his commitment and versatility are key character traits in establishing him as a pioneer in the programmatic world, and his personality makes for a warm presence at conferences, industry think tanks and group lunch meetings. 

Chris Giliberti
Co-Founder and CEO, Avail
Giliberti launched Avail in July 2021, after he had been global head of TV and film at Spotify. Avail offers studios and talent agencies a script summarization tool and is increasingly focused on the content/intellectual property licensing and AI search space. In July, Avail launched Corpus, which enables creators and media rightsholders to license their work to AI model developers. Corpus leverages collective scale to get smaller publishers and creators in on the licensing action. Giliberti’s background in TV and film has made him well-versed in the painstaking process of producing successful series and movies and the so-called “pain points” that can be addressed to make production faster and better. He has emerged as a key figure at the intersection of Silicon Valley and Hollywood and an increasingly trusted voice in that relationship. 

Alexander Groysman
VP, Advertising Product Development, Spectrum Reach
Groysman has been instrumental in bringing innovative products to the advanced advertising space. He oversees 20 diverse product managers and analysts emerging as leaders, and has authored two patents related to the converging linear and digital TV ecosystems and enablement of transparent marketplaces for premium TV media. He has been a key leader in transforming Spectrum Reach, the ad-sales business of Charter Communications, to adopt programmatic technologies and expand the availability of addressable targeting solutions in a privacy-compliant manner to better service customert. Groysman also leads several initiatives around measuring and optimizing supply quality and performance attribution, ensuring that every campaign is executed and optimized against the best media possible. In a remarkable step forward for linear addressable advertising and the industry, Groysman and his team found a way to expand linear addressable multicast ad inventory, where many people view the same network feed. 

Shannon Guarascio
Senior Manager, CBS Affiliate Relations
Guarascio’s resilience in navigating challenges in an ever-evolving television landscape, whether it’s broadcast rights or pivoting strategies to keep original programming at its peak during the writers and actors strikes of 2023, proves she can thrive amid any obstacles. She has spent 15 years at CBS. Due to her efforts to ramp up promotion with affiliates for February’s Super Bowl, it was the highest-viewed network broadcast of all time, with more than 120 million viewers tuning in. Guarascio is now working in a hybrid role of overseeing and managing affiliates in addition to communications and operations for CBS Affiliate Relations. As a member of the Paramount Veterans Network, she has also supported and influenced the work between military veterans and CBS programming. 

Walid Hamri
AVP, Media Systems Engineering, Sinclair
Hamri’s leadership in engineering next-generation media systems creates substantial opportunities for content creators, producers and broadcasters, encouraging them to move away from legacy operating models. His work to create more adaptable media ecosystems allows media organizations such as broadcast giant Sinclair to innovate by leveraging the latest technologies. He has designed and
helped architect massively scaled distribution systems, capitalized on emerging cloud capabilities to drive media supply-chain optimization, and harnessed the latest in
media signaling to streamline media operations. Prior to joining Sinclair, Hamri was chief product officer at SeaChange International, where he led the product and solution team in promoting the multiscreen Video Delivery Platform. Before that, he was VP of solutions & business development at Ateme, a specialist in video compression and delivery solutions. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Grenoble Institute of Technology in France.

Christina Haubrock
Senior VP, Advertising Strategy, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships

Haubrock conceptualizes and develops new ad products for NBCUniversal’s Peacock and its additional streaming assets. Regularly reimagining the advertising experience to maximize effectiveness, she acts on behalf of two customers: the viewer and the advertiser. By creating custom ad experiences for different types of content and introducing innovative ad formats, she plays a critical role in rewriting the advertising playbook, driving ultimate engagement for consumers and meaningful impact for marketers. Prior to Peacock launching in 2020, she was an integral voice in architecting NBCU’s AVOD vision and has evolved the go-to-market strategy as the streamer has scaled. In 2022, Haubrock
helped bring NBCU’s streaming portfolio to market with Peacock Premier, leveraging Peacock’s premium AVOD platform to deliver maximum impact for clients; and Peacock “AX” (Audience Extension), leveraging the entire footprint of NBCU’s streaming assets to deliver maximum reach. 

Alix Hoberman
Managing Director, Sales, LG Ad Solutions 
Hoberman joined LG Ad Solutions in 2021 and has become integral to the company’s business, helping to build and develop LG’s Media & Entertainment East Coast sales efforts.  When she joined LG, Hoberman was a senior account executive coordinating and managing advertising campaigns for smart-TV ad inventory — and she quickly proved to be a rising star, developing positive relationships throughout the organization, and with clients such as Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, BET, Fubo, Pluto, A&E and the NBA. She also fostered several key agency relationships, including with Horizon Media and Hearts & Science. Hoberman now takes the lead on many go-to-market sales packages, collaborating with marketing and sales and contributing to the development of LG Ad Solutions’ measurement strategies. She oversees a team of sellers responsible for more than $30 million in revenue — a 200% increase compared to her first year with the company. 

Isaac Holub
Co-Founder and Head of Development, Lucky 8
Holub has played a crucial role in establishing Lucky 8, one of the unscripted industry’s most successful fully-independent production shops. Lucky 8 shows include Unlocked: A Jail Experiment, which premiered on Netflix in the spring and highlights a daring approach to the challenges of incarceration. Holub is an executive producer on the show and is also behind two of History’s That Built America franchises: He launched Season 5 of The Food That Built America in early 2024 and will launch Season 2 of The Mega-Brands That Built America later this year. In 2023, Holub was integral to the creation, development and sale of Extraordinary Birder With Christian Cooper for Disney Plus and Booked: First Day In for A&E. Holub also executive produces Nat Geo’s long-running hit To Catch a Smuggler. He was a producer at National Geographic prior to co-founding Lucky 8, where he produced Brain Games, Border Wars and American Weed, among other shows.

Annmarie Hordern
Anchor/Chief Political Correspondent, Bloomberg
Hordern is a co-anchor on the Bloomberg Television morning show Surveillance, where the anchors’ “daily conversations with leaders and decision-makers from Wall Street to Washington and beyond cover the latest in business, investment and geopolitics,” the network said. She conducts interviews with world leaders and newsmakers, including the energy ministers from Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Russian Federation. She also serves as chief political correspondent. In addition to her work with Bloomberg Television, Hordern has contributed to Bloomberg.com, Quicktake and Bloomberg Businessweek, among other platforms. In 2022, she wrote a Bloomberg Businessweek piece sharing a personal story on efforts to evacuate a colleague’s family following the collapse of Afghanistan. Prior to her work on Surveillance, Hordern co-anchored the politics and policies program Balance of Power. Before that, she was the executive producer for Bloomberg TV’s EMEA newsroom, managing a team of more than a dozen producers from Dubai to London. 

Lawrence Jones
Co-Host, Fox & Friends, Fox News Channel 
Jones was the youngest Black man to helm a solo program in cable news history when Lawrence Jones Cross Country launched on Fox News Channel. The program saw him talk to people across the country who often feel like their voices are not heard. He spotlighted local stories that spoke to larger issues, such as gun violence and the fentanyl crisis plaguing the United States. During his time as an enterprise reporter, Lawrence traveled to 49 of the 50 states for network reports. In fall 2023, he moved up to morning program Fox & Friends, where he continues to tackle the big stories of the day and break them down in a digestible way. He has also brought a younger perspective to the program. Born the son of a teen mother in Texas, as a child Jones dreamed not of working in television, but of being a police officer. 

Sean Kelly
Senior Director, Ad Sales, Vizio
Kelly joined Vizio in 2019 as a founding member of the Vizio Ads organization, tasked with establishing an East Coast ad sales presence. At the time, the region had generated zero in revenue. Since then, revenue has grown to over $135 million annually, and Kelly oversees about $110 million. His team’s clients include a diverse roster of general-market advertisers across verticals such as auto, pharma, telco, insurance and travel. Promoted to his current role in 2023, Kelly’s responsibilities include negotiating long-term commitments with several large agency holding companies based on spend volume, unique offerings and partnership benefits. During his tenure at Vizio, he was instrumental in the creation of the associate director program, which provides junior employees with professional development opportunities and management skill training. He also continues to mentor both account executives and new employees, fostering a culture of collaboration and inclusivity. 

Madeline Kissel
VP, Business Development and Affiliate Relations, Viamedia 
With her unique blend of rapid adaptability, innate sales skills that have closed major deals, marketing acumen that has led to successful innovative advertising campaigns and a network of cable TV industry relationships, Kissel is a visionary transforming media advertising in North America. She cultivates and manages partnerships with video service providers and advertisers, including over 60 sales partnerships across 70 cities. Viamedia’s managed services business line has seen a staggering 300% increase, evolving into one of the company’s highest profit-margin segments. Her exceptional sales insight has not only signed 20 new partners and renewed over 50, but also significantly boosted revenue while maintaining a 100% renewal rate. Kissel’s development and implementation of dynamic advertising educational content have propelled industry-wide advancement, demonstrating her exceptional ability to drive growth and foster innovation in a highly competitive industry. One of her key accomplishments has been securing a partnership with cable operator Sparklight that brought 300,000 subscribers to Viamedia.

Amanda Klecker
SVP, Marketing & Franchise, pocket.watch
Klecker is head of marketing and brand strategy for pocket.watch, the largest independent kids and family studio, working with the biggest children’s programming creators in the world to create global franchises. That includes engaging more than 1 billion subscribers and 661 billion views on YouTube alone, according to pocket.watch. She leads various teams, including marketing, franchise, press, social, e-commerce and creative, changing the way families connect with media. In the last year, Klecker paved new ground for both the creator economy and kids entertainment by driving first-of-their-kind collaborations and AI innovations with megabrands that had never before considered working with intellectual property hatched on YouTube. That includes her work with grocery brand Dole, personalized video outfit Cameo Kids and tech company Veritone. She also launched the first creator-only record label, pocket.watch Records, distributed by Universal Music Group. 

Andrew Longworth
VP of Advanced TV, Innovid
Colleagues describe Longworth as an innovator and a driver of action, both of which set Innovid up well for the future. Across measurement, optimization and creative, he works with major publishers to spearhead key initiatives. His accomplishments include bringing interactive ads to the Super Bowl; closing the measurement/optimization gap with Instant Optimization, which allows advertisers to immediately optimize ad performance in flight; and making granular, cross-platform measurement more accessible to local advertisers. Longworth’s ability to demystify complex technology and strategy has made him an invaluable asset within Innovid and the broader ad tech industry. In 2024, he continues to be laser-focused on sell-side innovation. He will be behind big news around new ad experiences during live events, real-time optimization initiatives at scale and the global expansion of Innovid’s measurement footprint. He also works to support sell-side players in their efforts to embrace AI initiatives.

Adam Lynch
Advanced Advertising Systems Engineer, Viamedia
Co-workers describe Lynch as someone with an innovative spirit to go with his unparalleled resilience and technical acumen. With more than 14 years of technical experience, he holds a remarkable eight patents. He has architected multiple one-of-a-kind advertising solutions that bridge linear and digital advertising, serving 70 pay TV providers in 27 states and placing over 1 million ads daily. Born with dyslexia and ADHD and being on the spectrum, Lynch has harnessed these conditions as unique strengths. His ability to break down complex problems into manageable tasks has led to innovative solutions and technological advancements that many deemed impossible. His knack for seeing processes amidst chaos drives unprecedented creativity and problem-solving, making him an invaluable asset to Viamedia. His projects include the creation, development and implementation of QTT, which integrates the digital ecosystem with premium linear cable TV ads; and innovations within dynamic ad insertion, with the development and implementation of Viamedia’s Parrot ADS. 

Zachary Malet
Senior Director, Sports Business Development & Innovation, ESPN
What his colleagues describe as Malet’s relentless pursuit of innovation comes from introducing groundbreaking ideas directly to sports fans. He has played a pivotal role in ESPN’s alternative broadcasts, spearheading the live, animated NHL Big City Greens Classic — the first telecast of its kind. His role also involves negotiating and overseeing ESPN’s extensive portfolio of third-party business agreements/partnerships, with a keen emphasis on driving strategic innovation, maximizing revenue and fostering crucial technology partnerships. Malet’s expertise has led to the successful negotiation of several multimillion-dollar deals for the sports giant. His tenure since 2012 has been marked by significant contributions across various divisions, including Disney Platform Distribution, where he managed distribution of Disney properties (including ABC, ESPN and Disney Plus) with cable and streaming partners, and in the content strategy and college sports groups at ESPN programming and acquisitions. 

Rachel Marcus Fawkes
Director of Content and Editorial, Amagi
Marcus Fawkes got her start at ESPN shooting and editing video. While at ESPN, she pushed for video tech beyond the realms of cable, making sure younger users could access video through their phones and tablets before that behavior was the norm. She covered the NBA Finals, College Football Playoff, NBA draft, College World Series and X Games while at ESPN, among other giant sports events. Marcus Fawkes shifted to Wynn Resorts, where she was director of content, and joined Amagi in July 2023. She is currently building and leading content marketing strategy for the company, a leader in unified cloud workflows for TV and OTT. She also spearheads Amagi’s Airtime webinar series and quarterly FAST industry report. A Syracuse grad, Marcus Fawkes worked at SNY earlier in her career, where her role included covering ’Cuse sports.

Sean Mathew
VP, Media Director Investments, Mediahub
After working to invigorate brands like Google/YouTube and Kohler, Mathew joined Mediahub as a supervisor on the video investments team in 2019 for a new challenge: going beyond “spots and dots” media buying to harness the power of data-driven storytelling to drive key business results. Since then, he’s been working with brands across a variety of sectors, including entertainment, retail and financial services. Focusing on Mediahub’s Navy Federal Credit Union and Netflix accounts, he negotiated a unique promotion for Netflix’s Your Place of Mine on ABC’s The Bachelor. Mathew takes an active role in both agency and personal team development. He meets weekly with his team, dedicating time to training and mentorship, and often shelling out any useful financial and investing tips that he learns outside of his industry expertise. A testament to his leadership is his team’s minimal turnover rate — 90% retention over the last three years.

Bill Melugin
Correspondent, Fox News
Melugin joined Fox News Channel in 2021 as a Los Angeles-based correspondent after a stint as an investigative reporter at Fox-owned KTTV Los Angeles. He has spent several hundred days reporting from the U.S.’s southern border, breaking a number of stories. In 2022, Melugin was one of the first national reporters on the scene at Robb Elementary School following the shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Some of his notable reporting included an interview with a grandfather of a missing child and dispelling rumors the suspect was being chased by U.S. Border Patrol prior to the shooting. During his time at KTTV, his reporting appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight and The Ingraham Angle, among other Fox News programs. Melugin always strives to bring the human element into the stories he covers. In 2023, he was profiled in the Los Angeles Times and described as a “rising star” for his well-sourced and dedicated coverage.

Heidi Meyers
Director of Marketing, AMC Networks
Meyers is a neuroscience researcher-turned-digital marketer who brings a unique perspective to strategy. She is a proven expert at cultivating the fandoms behind AMC’s shows, and her work on the launches of Mayfair Witches and Interview With the Vampire, as well as Season 2 of Dark Winds, drove critical praise and ratings. Meyers got her start in digital media at an online dating company, which offered her a unique look at consumer behavior. She moved to WebMD, where she led paid-media strategy for pharma clients, government agencies and household brands such as Johnson & Johnson. Shifting to HBO, where she was digital and social media coordinator, she worked on the content strategy for Game of Thrones, Westworld and Mosaic, among other series. She also founded a microcontent firm that specialized in branding strategy and content creation for live events, from local improv to national theater tours. She joined AMC Networks in 2021, where she pioneers e-commerce strategy, launching fan-centric campaigns such as “Best Fandom Ever.”

Ryan Murray
Senior Manager, Content Distribution, Roku 
Murray oversees the development and negotiation of app and channel partnerships across SVOD, AVOD and FAST business lines on the Roku platform. Whether he’s leading a multilayered distribution agreement with Tier 1 media partners or strategizing internally, he speaks with substance, confidence and an eye toward a solution, his co-workers said. Prior to joining Roku, he was director of U.S. Distribution at Paramount Global, where he led negotiations for MVPD and OTT deals across the company’s cable networks and CBS. His career began at Viacom, where he was a member of the content distribution rotational program. He transitioned to a role within the sales and business development team, focusing on content partnerships and distribution agreements. Murray is making his panel debut this year at the StreamTV Show in Denver, where he will speak on “Approaching a New Frontier of Sports, Weather, & News Broadcasting & Streaming.”

Joseph Nuñez
Director of Communications and Public Relations, Brightcove
Nuñez spearheads global corporate communications, public relations and social media functions for Brightcove, the streaming technology company that powers top media and TV organizations. Since he joined Brightcove early in 2023, his work leading the company’s thought leadership and executive communications efforts has resulted in more than 50 interviews and placements for the CEO among key national programs and publications, including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business Network and Sirius XM. Prior to joining Brightcove, whose partners include AMC Networks, BBC Studios and The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Nuñez had a stint at Twitter and previously led consumer publicity efforts for NBCUniversal’s Spanish-language broadcast and cable networks. There, he led the publicity efforts to launch Telemundo morning show Hoy Dia. He also ran the PR efforts for more than a dozen show launches and new seasons, including Telemundo’s Exatlon and La Casa de los Famosos. 

Eric Ortega
Executive Producer, ABC News 
Eric Ortega, executive producer on ABC News Live With Linsey Davis, is a decisive newsroom leader who builds stronger newscasts and journalists wherever he works, according to colleagues. An innovator, he frequently proposes new ideas for presenting material that brings greater awareness to impactful stories. His efforts are paying off: ABC News Live With Linsey Davis was nominated for four News & Documentary Emmy Awards this year and became the first streaming newscast nominated for best live news program. He joined ABC News in late 2022 after a stint at Vice News, where he ran Vice News Tonight. Before that, Ortega worked at NBCUniversal, starting in the page program, then moving on to line producing at Early Today and MSNBC and producing on MTP Daily with Chuck Todd and The Briefing With Luke Russert, among other programs. Before his television career began, Ortega worked on Capitol Hill, including his time as legislative assistant to former Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.). 

Reid Pakula
VP of Talent, IF Management
Across his six years at IF Management, Pakula has amassed a client list that includes many rising stars in news. He has helped his clients make the move from smaller markets to some of the nation’s largest, including Chicago and Philadelphia, while helping them think of different ways to improve their on-air delivery. Bringing high levels of energy and engagement to his role, Pakula has been able to create great relationships with news directors and executives at all levels. A University of Maryland graduate, he earned a degree in finance with a fellowship in sports management. He was a student manager for the men’s basketball team and interned with the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA. Prior to joining IF, he worked for Octagon Sports & Entertainment. Paklula’s love for news goes back to boyhood, when he’d watch the 6 a.m. newscast before school.

John-Marcus Phillips
VP of Product, Effectv
Phillips manages a team of 35 product leaders at Effectv, the ad sales division of Comcast Cable. He leads the introduction of innovations to the ad platform that drive better outcomes across all stages of the marketing funnel. Phillips and his team played an instrumental role in  developing a new suite of ad solutions geared to political advertisers, aimed at helping marketers reach, engage and connect with voters in an election year. He has been involved in efforts to combine the best aspects of traditional linear advertising with the power of digital, most recently partnering with the Comcast and FreeWheel technology teams to introduce dynamic ad insertion capabilities across new live viewing platforms such as Xfinity Stream. He has also helped introduce new measurement capabilities for ad units on the Xfinity guide experience. Phillips addresses each challenge with curiosity and passion, co-workers said, describing him as a “transformational leader.”

Bijan Razzaghi
Director, Business & Legal Affairs, Brightcove
Razzaghi is a key asset for the streaming company in terms of motivating teams, leading projects and driving results while navigating complex legal issues specific to the intersection of software and streaming. A dynamic attorney with extensive experience in the cloud-based technology industry, he provides strategic counsel on a range of commercial matters spanning Brightcove’s corporate, business and legal affairs to drive growth. He has also negotiated groundbreaking deals for Brightcove’s partnerships with Google, Magnite, SpringServe and Pubmatic. He supports Brightcove’s largest and most strategic partnerships, vendor and commercial relationships, privacy program, mergers and acquisitions and new company initiatives. Before joining Brightcove, he was corporate counsel at Parallel Wireless for nearly five years, having started there as an intern. He joined Brightcove in early 2021 as commercial counsel and has moved up rapidly.

Gardner Reed
Senior VP of Development, Wheelhouse Entertainment 
Reed developed three series for the studio that launched last year, including King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch and Designing Miami for Netflix and Secret Restoration for History. He’s also behind the upcoming HGTV series Divided by Design, having found the talent, developed the concept and sold the show, as well as an unannounced dating series on OWN, a celebrity-driven pilot in production with Prime Video, an ensemble docuseries in development with Netflix and other projects for TLC, Max, Bravo, E! and National Geographic. Reed gets a true rush from finding unique characters with distinct points of view, developing viable concepts around them, and ultimately selling them through for the world to see. As an avid consumer of unscripted programming, his love for the type of content he develops fuels his initiative-driven approach, which has resulted in a growing track record of success. Colleagues said Reed is obsessed with what he does and that passion shines through in the content he creates.

Zack Rosenberg
Founder and CEO, Qortex
Rosenberg founded Qortex in 2020, setting out to connect video content with advertising outcomes by pioneering a unique in-video ad experience called On-Stream. This noninterruptive experience delivers overlay ads during editorial content for greatest viewability. To optimize for viewer engagement and sentiment, Qortex’s proprietary AI engine contextualizes each frame of a video to determine the highest moment of impact and serve a contextually relevant message. A few years before he launched Qortex, Zack founded WatchFantom, a sports media company that amplified independent sports leagues and sports radio shows. After acquiring the rights to multiple leagues and recruiting hosts from across the country, the company became a hub for local and national sports content with more than 600,000 daily viewers. Qortex is off to a promising start: In 2022, it was named Programmatic Power Player by AdExchanger. Last year, it closed a $10 million seed round of funding.

Bradley Singer
Partner, WME
A talent agent, Singer’s clients include journalists, thought leaders, production companies and publishers. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University, he joined WME’s mailroom training program in 2009. He was named partner at the agency in 2021. Over the years, Singer has been involved in the packaging and sale of such programs as Netflix’s Explained, CNN’s History of Comedy, Disney/ABC’s Tamron Hall, Apple TV Plus’ Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn and ESPN’s Skin in the Game. His long client list includes The View co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend, PBS NewsHour co-anchor Amna Nawaz, ABC News anchor Linsey Davis, actor LeVar Burton, author Ibram X. Kendi and academic Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr. Working on behalf of his clients, he saw Collins moved into a primetime slot at CNN and Nawaz become anchor on PBS NewsHour, among other promotions. 

Gaëlle Smagghe
Director, Product Management, LG Ad Solutions 
Smagghe is a driving force behind LG Ad Solutions’ product and engineering team. As one of the earliest hires at the company, she has advanced over the past five years from business analyst to director. Smagghe collaborated with LG Electronics to introduce a dynamic rotating carousel ad unit on the LG smart TV home screen. The unit expanded ad space by 10 times and drove a remarkable increase in click-through rates while enhancing user experience and engagement on the TV home screen by over 10% by improving ad load time and seamlessly integrating auto installation of apps into the user workflow. Smagghe has also led the company’s participation in beta programs, including the introduction of video advertising on the home screen, as well as innovative ad offerings like the screensaver ad unit, which have diversified content offerings and boosted performance metrics.

Lydia Tefera
Director, Brand Marketing, AMC Networks 
Tefera joined AMC Networks over six years ago, coming on board as social media marketing coordinator and moving up to digital marketing and social media manager by the fall of 2021. A graduate of Loyola University (Maryland) with a master’s degree in emerging media, colleagues said Tefera brings relentless drive for innovation to the workplace, developing pioneering marketing strategies that propel brand growth and market differentiation. She was instrumental in the rebrand of Allblk, which rejuvenated the former Urban Movie Channel. She is campaign lead for original series Parish, conceptualizing and executing a comprehensive marketing campaign that effectively targeted key demographics and maximized engagement across various platforms. She is now spearheading the marketing strategy for the rebrand of WE tv. Prior to her current role, Lydia was social marketing Lead for Allblk. She is in touch with how younger viewers consume content, thanks in part to her background as a content creator on YouTube, where she shares beauty tips.

Camille Thelemaque-Bearden
Director, Marketing, Partnerships and Local Ad Sales, TV One
Thelemaque-Bearden is a seasoned marketing professional whose career spans dynamic roles where she has demonstrated expertise in integrated brand partnership strategy and executive-level activations. Her track record reflects her adeptness at relationship building, strategic planning and fostering cross-functional collaboration. Her proficiency in storytelling and cultural relevance underscores her ability to deliver impactful marketing solutions. She executes partnership marketing strategies across digital, retail and in-market platforms. That includes this year’s launch of UPLIFT, a multi-market digital equity partnership with Comcast that provides visibility and support resources to advance economic mobility in Comcast-identified communities; and last year’s “Black to School Campaign,” a cross-platform, multi-market retail partnership with Verizon in urban markets. She was also behind “Cocktails & Conversations: Bosses Don’t Code Switch (Bosses),” an in-market activation with distribution partner Spectrum; and Thank You Black Women and Hey Black America, short-form content series developed to support affiliate pro-social efforts at the height of the pandemic.

John Weinand
IT Supervisor, Mediacom Communications
What makes Weinand stand out is his ability to overcome obstacles. Born deaf, he has made steady progress in forging a career with cable operator Mediacom, joining his uncle Rocco B. Commisso, the company’s founder, and his mother, executive VP of programming and HR Italia Commisso Weinand, in moving the corporation into the 21st century. His involvement began with summer internships in high school, which grew to a full-time position after college. As an IT supervisor, Weinand focuses on Mediacom’s evolving technology needs as it adapts to meet the challenges of today’s digital landscape. He serves on the team developing 5G/0G community and business services that are expected to improve the vital health, economic and educational sectors in the underserved communities where Mediacom does business. His communication skills make Weinand a shining example to others that no matter your disability, dedication and commitment are the keys to success. 

Fethi Ziyadeoğlu
Senior Director, Programmatic Sales Development, Fubo
Ziyadeoğlu was one of Fubo’s first employees dedicated solely to ad operations. He built a team of talented ad ops and ad tech experts and under his oversight, the team was able to successfully fulfill nearly all of the campaigns they managed throughout the year. Ziyadeoğlu has also been instrumental in optimizing Fubo’s programmatic advertising technology, and has helped the MVPD to seamlessly integrate with a new ad server, enabling it to build ad-serving tech internally and to optimize demand and other KPIs. His improvements to Fubo’s ad tech stack also made the company’s ad inventory available to a greater number of advertisers simultaneously. Ziyadeoğlu is also responsible for overseeing many programmatic advertising partnerships across the industry. He launched with new partners in Canada, a growing region for Fubo. After two years of optimizing Fubo’s ad operations, he was promoted to a new role overseeing the company’s programmatic ad-sales efforts. 

Click on the gallery below for photos from Comic-Con San Diego and the Summer TCA Press Tour, plus photos from the Queer Eye guys' 20th anniversary visit to the White House and more. 

ABC NEWS
ABC News political director Rick Klein has been named VP and Washington bureau
chief. Klein, who joined the network’s news division in 2007, will oversee bureau operations and manage all of the division’s news teams based in Washington, D.C.

ACCUWEATHER
Matt Gillis has joined AccuWeather as chief business officer. He most recently was president of Digital Turbine, where he handled go-to-market efforts including sales, marketing, business development and operations. 

ANTHEM
Anthem Sports & Entertainment has tapped Brian Doherty as president of
ad sales for AXS TV and HDNet Movies. Doherty was executive VP of multiplatform advertising sales for Nexstar Media Group and its national properties, including The CW, NewsNation and The Hill.

ASTOUND
Toni Murphy has joined Astound Broadband in Princeton, New Jersey, as executive VP and chief operating officer. The 20-year cable and telecom most recently was chief marketing officer and senior VP, sales and marketing in Comcast’s Atlanta-based Central Division. 

CBS NEWS AND STATIONS
CBS News and Stations has elevated Jennifer Lyons to regional general manager and president of WBBM Chicago and WWJ Detroit. Lyons was president and GM of WBBM and had been interim GM of WWJ since Brian Watson left the company in May.

CBS NEWS AND STATIONS
CBS News and Stations has named Kennan Oliphant as VP of news and station manager at WWJ Detroit, reporting to regional GM Jennifer Lyons. He comes from WXYZ-WMYD Detroit, where he had been senior director of news.  

COMCAST
Lance West has joined Comcast as executive VP, federal government affairs and head of its Washington, D.C., office. Most recently VP of federal government relations at the American Petroleum Insitiute, he was chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). 

ELF LABS
Alyse Rosenberg was named senior VP of content at Elf Labs, a kids content studio that launched in April. She created wrote, directed and executive produced such series as Ready or Not for Disney Channel, Braceface for ABC Family and Little Bear for Nickelodeon. 

FETV
Family Entertainment Television, owner of FETV and Family Movie Classics, has hired Christine Carbia as VP of national sales, based in New York. She joins FETV with almost 25 years of experience at companies such as USA Network, Syfy, Fox and E.W. Scripps Co. 

MPA
Larissa Knapp has joined the Motion Picture Association as executive VP and chief content protection officer, responsible for anti-piracy efforts, including the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment. She had led the FBI’s Security, Training and Human Resources Divisions.  

NCTC
Phil Spencer was named to the board of directors of the Lenexa, Kansas-based National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC). He most recently was CEO of Vyvve Broadband and had been serving as a board member and adviser to that company. 

NIELSEN
Akhil Parekh was named chief solutions officer of digital product at Nielsen, a new post. He was previously executive VP, managing director at ad agency Publicis Groupe, where he was responsible for building a media platform for agency planners and buyers.

NEP
Media services firm NEP Group has added Sandy Case to its Creative Technology Group as London-based senior VP of sport, tasked with growing its global sports business. He had been CEO of iSportConnect, a private network of sports executives. 

OPB
Rachel Smolkin has been named president and CEO of Oregon Public Broadcasting, effective this month upon the retirement of CEO Steve Bass. She comes from CNN in Washington, D.C., where she was senior VP of global news for CNN News Digital. 

SCRIPPS
E.W. Scripps has named Charlie Grisham VP and general manager of ABC
affiliate WRTV Indianapolis. He joins Scripps from Allen Media Group-owned ABC station WSIL Carterville, Illinois, where he had been VP and general
manager since 2019. 

SINCLAIR
Sinclair has named Dean Ditmer VP and general manager of KATU-KUNP in Portland, Oregon, succeeding the retired Cortlandt Cuffee. He comes from KPNX-KSMB-KTTU in Tuscon, Arizona, where he was president and general manager. 

TELLY
Mike Shehan has joined Telly, the company that offers free TVs to consumers in exchange for their viewing data, as the company’s first chief revenue officer. He is the co-founder and was CEO of video advertising and monetization platform SpotX.

WLS CHICAGO
ABC-owned WLS Chicago has elevated Doug Whitmire to VP of news, succeeding the retiring Jennifer Graves. Formerly assistant news director, Whitmire joined the station in 2003 as a newswriter/producer and was promoted to his prior role in 2021. 

Briefly Noted

Former WarnerMedia executive Tony Goncalves has joined measurement company Mediaprobe as an adviser. He also recently started The Evrose Group, an advisory firm. … Nexstar Media Group has promoted Olivia Pennington and Britt Milstead to VP and general manager. Pennington will run WHNT and WHDF in Huntsville, Alabama; Milstead will manage KLBK Lubbock, Texas, and oversee Nexstar’s agreement to operate Mission Broadcasting-owned KAMC Lubbock. … TelevisaUnivision has named Juan Pablo Newman as interim chief financial officer, with CFO Carlos Ferreiro stepping away from his role for health reasons. Newman had been chief growth officer of TelevisaUnivision Mexico.  … Streaming technology provider Zone-tv has elevated Doug Edwards to president. He had been chief product and technology officer.

Aaron Silverman has been named executive producer on ABC News Live First. He comes from CNN, where he had been senior broadcast producer on CNN This Morning and New Day. 

Almin Karamehmedovic, who was named ABC News president earlier this month, saluted Silverman in a note to staff. “Our commitment to covering every story on every device our audience uses to consume news is stronger than ever. With the upcoming launch of ABC News Live on the Disney Plus streaming platform, combined with our seamless collaboration with the network’s special events coverage -- as evidenced recently with the late-breaking ABCNL special report on the Israeli-Hezbollah strikes last Saturday -- and the addition of weekend hours, we are delivering for our audience, 24/7,” the note said in part. 

“All of this makes it even more special to have Aaron join the talented ABC News Live team, working closely with [anchor] Diane Macedo. We look forward to the expertise and passion he will bring to our powerhouse streaming channel.”

Before his time at CNN, Silverman worked in local TV. After graduating from Syracuse, he produced morning news at KNDU Kennewick (Washington), then produced at KPTV Portland, KGTV San Diego and WHDH Boston.  

Bill Anderson, VP and general manager at KRQE Albuquerque, passed away on August 26. His age and cause of death were not available at presstime. 

He was named KRQE general manager in 1999. 

“Bill had an immense impact on TV broadcasting, this community, everyone he worked with, and his family,” said anchor Jessica Garate in a news segment. “He was truly a one-of-a-kind boss, mentor, friend, father and husband.”

Anderson’s television career began with a marketing internship at WITI Milwaukee in 1979. 

“He knew all the departments. He knew intimately what makes a television station work,” said Dick Knipfing, former KRQE anchor, on KRQE.com.

In 1993, Anderson won an Emmy for creating “Flood Aid,” a national telethon that raised more than $8 million for flood victims in Iowa. After joining KRQE, he created KRQE Cares, which helps needy children with donations of shoes, food and books. 

Anderson was married to Debbie for more than 40 years. They raised three children, and had five grandchildren.

Nexstar Media Group owns KRQE, a CBS affiliate. The KRQE Media Group includes KRQE-KREZ-KBIM, Fox New Mexico (a subchannel of KRQE), KWBQ (New Mexico CW) and KASY (MY50TV), the latter two owned by Mission Broadcasting. 

ESPN announced a reorganization of its content group that includes the promotion of Mike McQuade to a new position as executive VP, sports production, and also resulted in the layoffs of an undisclosed number of staffers.

The moves come as parent The Walt Disney Co. is tightening its belt like other major media companies, and as ESPN is trying to keep up with the streaming era and developing a standalone direct-to-consumer version of its cable network.

“Since May, we’ve been working on a plan to restructure our department to improve collaboration, centralize functions, create better alignment, and redeploy resources to areas of growth — further positioning our people to deliver on ESPN’s priorities during rapidly evolving time,” ESPN president of content Burke Magnus said in a memo to staff.

“With these moves, I believe we will be more strategic, collaborative and nimble, as we continue to excel in every area and function,“ Magnus said. “We remain committed to employee development, and the restructure will result in new positions or promotions for people who are expanding their responsibilities or taking on new challenges.”

At the same time, Magnus acknowledged in his memo that as part of this reorganization “a few dedicated colleagues” are leaving the company.

ESPN did not disclose the number of people laid off, but people familiar with the situation said the content unit would end up with the same number of people, if not more, when the dust settles. One new job posted at ESPN is VP, sports production for the Super Bowl. (ESPN gets to televise Super Bowls under its current rights agreement with the NFL.)

McQuade has been with ESPN for 37 years,  most recently as VP and executive producer of major events like the PGA Championship.

“Mike is well known for his storytelling ability across platforms, innovative mindset, attention to detail and his tireless push to deliver results. He is also a leader who takes the time to mentor employees of all levels,” Magnus said.

With McQuade heading production sports production and overseeing sports-specific studio shows, executive VP David Roberts will oversee cross-platform editorial news and coverage, including shows that deal with multiple sports, including SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up, The Pat McAfee Show, Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption.

“David has done phenomenal work with our NBA and WNBA properties and studio programming, and I thank him for the amazing, steady growth of everything associated with both leagues and our daily shows,“ Magnus said. “David will now transition to oversee Sports News and Entertainment.” 

Roberts and McQuade will report directly to Magnus, along with Kaitee Daley, Freddy Rolón, Brian Lockhart, Chris Calcinari and Nick Parsons. 

McQuade will have four direct reports: senior VP Mark Gross, responsible for events and studio for NFL (Monday Night Football and Super Bowl), college football, the College Football Playoff, the UFL, UFC, boxing and golf; a to-be-determined senior VP overseeing events and studio for the NBA, WNBA, NHL, college ice hockey and Tennis; senior VP Meg Aronowitz, in charge of events and studio for MLB, ACC, SEC, NCAA women’s and men’s basketball, school control rooms, college baseball, pro and college softball and girls and boys Little League World Series; and VP Kate Jackson, responsible for wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics, field hockey, college and pro lacrosse, Special Olympics, F1 and special event productions such as The ESPYs.

Reporting to Roberts are senior VP Maria Soares; leading a newly centralized Sports News and Coverage unit, including Research and Digital Editorial; senior VP Mike Foss, overseeing Sports Studio and Entertainment, including SportsCenter; and VP Chris Buckle, responsible for investigative and enterprise journalism.

Magnus said the new structure resulted from interviews with 75 “ESPN stakeholders” conducted by Disney’s organizational development team.

“With our continued focus on expanding to reach new audiences and better prepare for our DTC future, another strong recommendation was to streamline and centralize digital, social and streaming, enabling more horizontal discussion and strategy across platforms, aligned under one leader, Kaitee Daley,“ Magnus wrote.

To expand globally, Magnus said the content unit is bringing together its International production team and its ESPN Deportes and International editorial teams, along with business operations for international, under Freddy Rolón.  

Lastly, Magnus said ESPN’s SIG group is being divided into two functional areas — Research and ESPN Stats & Analysis. 

“Research is a key group that supports our storytelling functions and better aligns with the News & Entertainment group, led by Maria Soares, under David Roberts,“ Magnus said. “Stats & Analysis is critical to our digital strategy and will move to the newly formed Digital, Social & Streaming Content team under Kaitee Daley, specifically under Nicole Pelaez-Dandrea.”

The Walt Disney Co.’s board named director James Gorman as chairman of its succession planning committee.

Succession has been a big issue for Disney. Replacing CEO Michael Eisner was messy before Bob Iger got the job in 2005. Iger’s replacement, Bob Chapek, was a washout, prompting Iger to return to the job in 2022.

When Iger, now 73, returned, he and the board said finding the company’s next CEO would be a priority.

Gorman, who joined the board this year, oversaw the process that found his own successor as CEO at Morgan Stanley, where he continues to serve as executive chairman.

“James is a highly respected leader, and we’ve asked him to serve as the new Chair of the Succession Planning Committee given his deep succession planning experience and long-term strategic mentality,” said Disney board chairman Mark Parker, who had served as the head of the succession committee.

“Succession planning is a top priority of the board, and I am eager to continue collaborating with James on the committee as we advance the important work we have already been doing to identify and prepare the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company,” Parker said.

In addition to Gorman and Parker, Disney directors Mary Barra and Calvin McDonald will continue to serve on the succession committee.

The board has said it is reviewing internal and external candidates for the CEO post. Internal candidates are going through a preparation process that includes mentorship from Iger, external coaching, and engagement with all board directors.

Adam Krueger has joined KTTV Los Angeles as chief meteorologist. Starting September 3, he will anchor weather on the station’s weekday 5, 6, 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts. He comes from KIAH Houston, where he was chief meteorologist. 

KTTV, known as Fox 11, is part of Fox Television Stations. 

“Adam has a wealth of meteorological expertise and the rare ability to deliver the information in an engaging and entertaining manner that makes weather accessible and enjoyable for everyone,” KTTV VP and news director Bobbi Gearhart said. 

Krueger joined KIAH, a CW affiliate, in 2020. Prior to that, he was a meteorologist for Spectrum News in Austin and San Antonio, and had been weekend meteorologist and general assignment reporter at KABB San Antonio. He began his career in broadcasting as a meteorologist and reporter for KHAS in Hastings, Nebraska. 

“I can’t wait to work with this talented team of journalists and contribute to the impressive work they are doing for the community,” Krueger said. “I’m a weather geek at heart, so while I’m passionate about delivering accurate and reliable forecasts, I also enjoy having some fun along the way.”

Phil Donahue, talk-show host and broadcast journalist, died Sunday night at age 88 after a long illness, his family confirmed to NBC’s Today.

Donahue presided over The Phil Donahue Show, later renamed Donahue, from 1969 to 1996 – nearly three decades – and inspired others in its wake, including Oprah Winfrey. Over the course of its run, Donahue won nine Daytime Emmys and earned 21 nominations. He also won a Primetime Emmy for a special, Donahue and Kids. He received a Peabody Award in 1981.

According to Variety, Donahue was born in Cleveland on December 21, 1935. He graduated from Notre Dame and during his time at the university, he worked at its local station, WNDU, where he caught the broadcasting bug. After graduating, he started as a replacement announcer at Cleveland’s KYW-AM TV. He moved around a bit, working for radio station WABJ in Michigan and then WHIO-AM-TV in Dayton, Ohio, where he started interviewing people, including Jimmy Hoffa. At WHIO, he hosted a daily 90-minute talk show called “Conversation Piece,” starting in 1963. He did that for four years and then frustrated with his inability to breakthrough nationally, he quit broadcasting and got a job as a salesman at a trading stamp company in Dayton.

That didn’t last long, however, and within months, he was back on the air, this time at WLWD-TV in Dayton with the first iteration of what would become his signature show. Because the show had a hard time luring prominent guests to Ohio, it stuck with one interview per show and sent Donahue into the audience. While those two factors were born of necessity, they became what made Donahue unique on television. 

The Phil Donahue Show was picked up to national syndication in 1969, distributed by the Avco Broadcasting Company. By 1971, it was airing on 44 stations. In 1974, it moved to WGN Chicago and was renamed Donahue. 

Multimedia Program Productions bought the show in 1976 and by the end of the decade, it was airing on more than 200 stations across the country. He also began picking up other gigs, including appearing on NBC’s The Today Show from 1979-88 and on ABC’s late-night program, The Last Word, in 1983. In 1985, the show moved to New York and began airing live. From 1991-94, he also partnered with Soviet Vladimir Pozner for a show on CNBC called Pozner/Donahue that ran from 1991-94. In 1992, he moderated a primary debate between then Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton and former California governor Jerry Brown. 

Donahue ended its run in 1996 after other talk shows, and especially The Oprah Winfrey Show, began to dominate and pull crucial female viewers away. 

He returned to TV in 2002-03 with an eponymous talk show on MSNBC that lasted six months. 

In 2007, he worked with Ellen Spiro to write, direct and produce a documentary feature on the Iraq War called Body of War. He continued appearing on TV through 2014. 

Donahue was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame in 1993 and won an ATAS lifetime achievement award in 1996. President Joe Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in May. He is survived by his second wife, Marlo Thomas, 86, whom he married in 1980, as well as five children from his first marriage. 

Donahue’s family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a longstanding charitable interest of Thomas, or to the Phil Donahue/Notre Dame Scholarship.

Almin Karamehmedovic has been named president of ABC News. He succeeds Kim Godwin, who stepped down as president in May. 

Karamehmedovic has been senior executive producer of World News Tonight With David Muir. His new role gives him oversight of that newscast, in addition to Good Morning America, The View, 20/20 and Nightline, as well as ABC News Live, ABC News Studios and special events coverage.

“Almin has devoted his career to ABC News, mastering every role and elevating excellence in journalism by connecting with viewers in a very meaningful and profound way that resonates with them,” Disney Entertainment president, News Group and Networks Debra OConnell said. “He is a widely respected, seasoned journalist of the highest order who has worked his way up to senior executive producer of World News Tonight With David Muir, earning the trust of colleagues and industry peers along the way. I have no doubt ABC News will reach new heights under his leadership.”

Karamehmedovic has overseen the production and all daily operations of World News Tonight With David Muir since August 2014. In January of 2022, news content development duties, including short- and long-form projects on streaming and broadcast, were added to his purview as his role expanded from executive producer to senior executive producer.

“I approach this role with great respect and humility, not only for the hundreds of colleagues around the world whose tireless contributions fuel the unflinching and unbiased reporting of ABC News but also for the viewers we serve,” Karamehmedovic said. “Our team represents the best in journalism. We are grateful to have Debra OConnell, who sets the bar for all of us in a meaningful and supportive way that enables us to thrive in a profession we revere and love.”

Prior to World News Tonight, Karamehmedovic was executive producer of Nightline starting in 2008. 

He joined ABC News as a freelance video editor based in London in 1998. 

Joseph Holloway has joined Tegna's WOI and KCWI in Des Moines, Iowa, as anchor and executive producer of Good Morning Iowa.

Holloway had been an anchor/reporter at WCNC, Raleigh, N.C.

“We’re excited to have Joseph join our team,” says Local 5 news director Perry Pace. “With his extensive experience, he’s the perfect fit as both an anchor and a leader for Good Morning Iowa. I’m confident that his calm, thoughtful, and energetic style will inspire our team and connect with our viewers.”

Before WCNC, Holloway was anchor/reporter at KOTV, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a reporter and fill-in anchor at KNWA in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

A sports fan, Holloway has also worked freelance in sports journalism for ESPN, CBS, and Cox Sports Television.

“People have a right to know what’s going on in their neighborhoods,“ Holloway said. ”I’m passionate about making sure they know the whole story so they can make their own decisions.” 

CBS News confirmed that it has been working on a third hour of its morning newscast, CBS Mornings, and that the extra hour is expected to debut in September.

In a memo to staff Friday, Shawna Thomas, the executive producer of CBS Mornings said the additional program is being develop for a few of the CBS owned stations and will be simulcast on the CBS News 24/7 streaming channel.

“Now, it won’t look or feel exactly like the first two hours. Yes, the talent will be a little different and the name will be a little different, but it will still be the smart and engaging content everyone expects from the CBS Mornings family, Thomas said.

Thomas noted that CBS Mornings has posted a few job openings to staff the new hour. That comes at a time when parent company Paramount Global is in the process of cutting 15% of its U.S. workforce.

“The expansion of CBS Mornings shows a commitment to the brand and the idea that there is a possibility of some growth at a challenging time. So, let's do this together and make another hour of tv/digital video/content we can be proud of,” Thomas said.

Also at CBS News, Anne-Marie Green is joining 48 Hours as a full-time correspondent.

Green, who has been an anchor on CBS News 24/7 and on the overnight show CBS News Mornings, joins Peter Van Sant, Erin Moriarty and Natalie Morales on the show, along with some other contributors.

“Anne-Marie is already a big part of the 48 Hours family — she’s the host of our successful Post Mortem podcast, and has worked with us as a 48 Hours contributor in the past,” 48 Hours executive producer Judy Tygard said in a staff memo. “In fact, Anne-Marie’s episode, ‘The Death of an Officer’s Wife‘ was one of the top-rated shows of the last two seasons. She’s also the face and voice of Case Watch.”

“The addition of Anne-Marie Green and the launch of the 48 Hours FAST Channel this week underlines the importance of the 48 Hours franchise,” Tygard said. “Now even more people will see the great work that you do.”

Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Kathleen Finch, CEO of its U.S. cable networks group, is retiring.

The company last week took a $9 billion write-down against its cable networks, whose value has declined as cord-cutting has eroded profits and revenues.

Channing Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group, will run the U.S. networks business when Finch departs at year-end.

Finch was a top programming executive at Scripps Networks when it was acquired by Discovery, and was Discovery’s top programmer when it acquired WarnerMedia from AT&T.

“It has been an honor to spend the past 25 years at Scripps, Discovery, and now Warner Bros. Discovery,” Finch said. “I began my journey at the fledgling Food Network and am so proud to have helped turn it into a cable powerhouse, and then to lead the team developing some of the most addictive unscripted franchises across HGTV and TLC, creating household names out of chefs and house flippers, and capturing the cultural conversation with real-life stories.” 

Warner Bros. Discovery has been cutting costs under CEO David Zaslav. The company’s stock price is $7.34 a share, up a bit from its 52-week low of $6.64 a share, but down about half of its 52-week high and more than $20 a share in 2022. 

“There is no one better at developing captivating content, compelling talent, and meaningful lifestyle brands than Kathleen, who has been my partner as we built our premier entertainment networks at Discovery and created Warner Bros. Discovery as an unscripted powerhouse,” Zaslav said. 

“While I understand her longstanding decision to retire, I will certainly miss her, as will the entire company, which has benefitted from her unmatched collaboration and unique understanding of what our audiences crave,” he added. “Channing is an unparalleled creative executive who has shepherded countless award-winning hit shows. She has the ideal expertise and experience — as a content developer, platform programmer and network executive — to lead the U.S. networks.” 

The Walt Disney Co. has made a significant executive addition for its subscription streaming business, hiring away 13-year YouTube veteran Adam Smith and naming him chief product and technology officer.

Smith, who oversaw subscription products YouTube Music and YouTube Premium as VP of product management at Google, will report to Disney Entertainment co-chairs Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, as well as ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. 

Starting September 3, Smith will oversee a global Product and Technology group spanning Disney’s entertainment and sports media businesses. He will be responsible “for driving technology strategy, development, deployment and continued innovation across the company’s streaming platforms and networks, portfolio of consumer digital touchpoints, proprietary advertising technology, emerging technologies and more,“ according to the conglomerate.

 “We’ve been aggressive in advancing our technological capabilities to better support our world-class media, streaming and advertising businesses, and Adam brings a bold, consumer-focused vision for the future and a proven ability to effectively lead global teams in implementing ambitious, scalable and flexible products and technology that will continue to elevate storytelling as the center of the Disney experience,” Bergman, Walden and Pitaro said in a joint statement. 

At YouTube, Smith helped build some of the company’s biggest consumer-facing products, driving its Music and Premium offering to more than 100 million subscribers. 

Added Smith: “Disney has built and nurtured an unparalleled portfolio of brands bringing joy and delight to fans of all ages, thanks to a culture of creativity that embraces innovation. I believe Disney is uniquely positioned to thrive in the next evolution of media and has made significant progress in a very short time while keeping storytelling front and center.”

E.W. Scripps Co. named Jeff Mulligan as station manager for its stations in Kansas City, NBC affiliate KSHB and independent KMCI, effective September 9.

Mulligan is returning to the stations, where he served as executive producer from 2017 to 2019. He left to lead news department operations at WSIL Carterville, Illinois.

Mulligan replaces Matt Waggoner, who is leaving Scripps.

“Jeff’s leadership, experience and previous tenure with Scripps stations make him a great fit for KSHB/KMCI,” Kathleen Choal, regional VP and general manager for Scripps, said. “At WSIL-TV, he fostered a culture of innovation and helped transform news coverage from a strictly linear focus to multiplatform coverage. We look forward to having Jeff rejoin our team.”

During his career, Mulligan has also held posts as assistant news director at WISH in Indianapolis, news director at WMBD in Peoria, Illinois, and executive producer at KGO San Francisco and WDAF Kansas City.

Dick Vitale, basketball analyst and philanthropist, will be inducted into the B+C Hall of Fame in September and will receive the Humanitarian Award for his tireless efforts to combat cancer, among other causes he fights for. 

“I am thrilled and honored to be selected as a member of this prestigious hall of fame,” Vitale said. “To be included with those that were the foundation of cable TV is a fantastic honor.”

Born June 9, 1939, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Vitale graduated from Seton Hall University and earned a master's degree in education from William Paterson College. 

He became a coach — junior high school football and basketball in his home state, then high school basketball. He moved on to college basketball in 1970 at Rutgers, then was head coach at the University of Detroit (1973-1977). 

In 1978, Vitale was named head coach of the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. 

A year later, he joined ESPN just after the network launched. He called ESPN’s first major NCAA basketball game, Wisconsin vs. DePaul, in December 1979. 

Vitale’s accomplishments in philanthropy may even surpass what he’s done on television. Vitale is on the board of directors of The V Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1993 by the late Jim Valvano, who also called basketball games for ESPN. The V Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for cancer and Vitale hosts the annual Dick Vitale Gala in Florida, benefiting the foundation. The 2024 gala raised nearly $25 million, and overall funds raised by the event in its 19 years are close to $93 million. 

The 2025 gala happens May 2 in Sarasota. 

Indicating the impression he has made on popular culture, Vitale has played himself in several movies, including The Naked Gun, Hoop Dreams, Blue Chips and He Got Game. 

Vitale’s many books include Dick Vitale’s Fabulous 50 Players and Moments in College Basketball, Living a Dream (Reflections on 25 Years Sitting in the Best Seat in the House), autobiography Vitale and Holding Court: Reflections on the Game I Love. 

This isn’t Vitale’s first Hall of Fame induction. He’s also been selected for the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame, the Sarasota Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame, The Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, among others. 

Vitale and his wife, Lorraine, have two daughters, Terri and Sherri, who both attended Notre Dame on tennis scholarships and graduated with MBAs. 

The B+C Hall of Fame event happens September 26 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York. 

Charter Communications said it named Simon Cassels as senior VP and chief creative officer, effective immediately.

Cassels most recently had been chief brand officer at GoodRx. Before that he worked for Apple’s ad agency TBWA/Media Art Lab, where he helped create the Shot on iPhone campaign.

At Charter, Cassels will lead efforts to elevate the Spectrum brand and oversee the positioning of Spectrum’s residential products and services, as well as defining the company’s business to business marketing strategies.

“Simon brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic insight, combined with a customer-first mindset, which supports our mission to engage with customers as more than just a connectivity provider,” said Sharon Peters, executive VP and CMO for Charter Communications, which operates the Spectrum brand.  “He will lead our efforts in establishing a  differentiated customer experience that starts with our seamless connectivity services, unleashing limitless opportunity.”

Cassels will report to Peters.

“Spectrum’s innovation is at the intersection of lifestyle and technology, combined with an unwavering commitment to customer-first thinking,” Cassels said. "Seamless connectivity—both wired and wireless—opens up new opportunities for creativity and connection, empowering individuals, families and businesses. I’m excited to be joining a team that’s driving this innovation forward."

Michael Engleman said he will step down as chief marketing officer for Paramount Plus Domestic and Paramount Plus with Showtime.

The move follows the decision to sell Paramount Global to Skydance Media and continuing consolidation and cost-cutting at the company. 

“This marks the end of my third chapter at Paramount, as I actually started my career at MTV many years ago,“ Engleman said in a memo to staff. “The place keeps drawing me back.  While many things in this whitewater raft ride of a business have changed, there’s one very important thing that has remained a constant.  Paramount is a place that encourages visionaries to take smart risks and do incredible things.”

Engleman was named CMO and global brand director of Showtime Networks in 2019. In that role he oversaw the brand integration of Showtime with Paramount Plus.

Before joining Showtime, Engleman served as chief marketing officer for TBS and TNT. Previously he was executive VP, marketing, digital and global brand strategy for Syfy and Chiller at NBCUniversal.

“In the face of incredible change, your ingenuity was rocket fuel that propelled great brands and new businesses,“ Engleman said in his note. “Launching new hit titles like Yellowjackets or The Chi?  No problem, you crushed it. Sending off venerable trailblazers, like Homeland, Billions, Shameless?  You made an art form out of it.  Create streaming juggernauts out of Super Bowl LVIII or Champions League?  Yep, also you.  

“Break a few subscription records with reimaginations like Dexter, Halo or Frasier…no problem,“ he continued. “You get the point. You’re special. From the commerce to the art, you’ve always found ways to beat the odds. And I’ve no doubt you will continue to win.” 

Fremantle said it promoted Trey Durst to VP of U.S. distribution, responsible for its international division.

Durst joined the company in 2022 as a director and has negotiated deals that increased the distribution and monetization of Fremantle’s free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels. 

He will continue to report to LIsa Honig, senior executive VP of North American distribution, international.

“Trey’s contributions to Fremantle’s FAST strategy throughout the U.S. have been instrumental in our continued growth, including the formation of landmark partnerships, as well as helping to ideate new channel offerings,” said Honig in a statement. “His solutions driven mentality, combined with his creativity and deep understanding of the market, have been a huge asset to the group overall – this is an exciting next step.”

Fremantle, part of RTL, recently announced a worldwide deal putting 25 FAST channels on Paramount’s Pluto TV in 13 countries. Durst also worked on putting Fremantle FST Channels on Fubo, Sling Freestream and Google TV.

“I look forward to continuing my journey at Fremantle,” said Durst. “It’s exciting to be part of a new sector of Fremantle’s business and to see how much it has grown in recent years. I can’t wait to continue exploring innovative ways to make our iconic IP available via the latest advances in the world of streaming.”

Future, a leading global platform in specialist media, today announced plans to evolve its B2B Media & Entertainment Group to focus on high-impact, sustainable initiatives.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to celebrating industry excellence by naming long-time industry veteran Charlie Weiss to the 2025 event chairmanship role for the highly esteemed Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame event. Current chairman Bill McGorry will partner with Weiss as chairman emeritus next year. The celebrated, 33-year-old B+C Hall of Fame honors the trailblazers and visionaries who have made significant impacts in the broadcasting and cable sectors. 

As part of Future’s plans, it will cease publication of the print magazine and daily newsletters of B+C, Multichannel News and NextTV from September 30, 2024 and will introduce a new, curated SmartBrief newsletter on Media & Entertainment, plus a reformatted nexttv.com website on October 1, 2024.

Future’s new consolidated SmartBrief on Media & Entertainment newsletter will serve as a comprehensive resource for industry professionals, offering curated content, key updates, and in-depth analysis. This initiative aims to provide a streamlined and valuable source of information in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Future B2B SVP Amanda Darman-Allen said: “This industry is going through rapid transformation that requires our business to adapt. By focusing our efforts on impactful in-person events and a unified newsletter, we believe we will maintain our role as a key connector and influencer. The B+C Hall of Fame is a perfect example of the kind of high-caliber event that aligns with our strategy, and we are proud to continue our support for this important celebration.”

For more information about Future’s B+C Hall of Fame, including the event on 26th September 2024, please visit www.bchalloffame.com

NBCUniversal said Jeanne Mau has been promoted to executive VP, TV programming diversity, equity and inclusion, a new position at the company.

May has been senior VP, TV programming diversity, equity and inclusion since joining NBCU in 2021. She continues to report to Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of Universal Studio Group, and Frances Berwick, chairman of NBCU Entertainment.

“Over the past three years, Jeanne has systematically expanded and elevated our inclusion efforts in television. She has introduced us to new voices in front of and behind the camera and become an invaluable resource to our showrunners and internal creative teams,” said Igbokwe and Berwick in a statement. “We remain committed to our principles and, as we look to the future, Jeanne will continue to serve a critical role in our business by supporting our goal of producing compelling content that appeals to global audiences.” 

Since joining NBCU, May has refreshed the company’s talent-development programs, including its writers and episodic directing programs. To date, 33 qualified mid-level producers have come through the company’s Unscripted Producers Initiative. They have subsequently worked on 26 NBCU unscripted series, the company said. 

Christa Robinson, executive VP of communications at CBS News and Stations, is departing the company where she has spent almost nine years. In a memo to colleagues, she said she will leave “in the coming weeks as part of the CBS News leadership changes.”

Robinson was chief communications officer at Tribune when she made the move to CBS News late in 2015. Before Tribune, she led communications at CNN and its global networks for more than a decade. Robinson had also been director of communications for the White House Domestic Policy Council in the Clinton administration, from 1994 to 1999.

Robinson said in her memo, “Given the challenges facing the news industry, there are few things more important than supporting the critical work of journalists in today’s world. I’m extremely proud of the prominent role our team has played in elevating and amplifying CBS News and Stations’ journalism, charting our digital future, and all that we have accomplished together. You can be sure that I’ll be rooting for you and cheering you on always.”

In his own memo, Chris Ender, executive VP of CBS Network Communications, said: “I’ve had the privilege to work with Christa for nearly a decade. At every turn, she has stood out as the fiercest and most passionate voice for CBS News. She has been a nonstop champion for the brand, the broadcasts, the business — and all the people behind it, especially her team.”

CNBC said Deep Bagchee has become CNBC International president, effective Monday.

Bagchee returns to CNBC after a stint at ITV, where he was chief product officer. 

He succeeds John Casey, who last year stepped down from the post after nearly three decades at the network.

Bagchee reports to CNBC president KC Sullivan and will oversee CNBC’s business operations in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. He will be based in London and Singapore.

“Deep’s experience and expertise in news media combined with his ability to strategically identify and grow new audiences while maintaining brand identity, will be a huge asset to our international business,” Sullivan said in a statement. “I’m pleased to welcome Deep back and look forward to working with him to further cement CNBC’s position as the global leader in business news.” 

Before moving to ITV, Bagchee was chief product officer at The Economist. Earlier at CNBC, he was senior VP of product and technology, where he oversaw CNBC’s technology, product and design teams.   

“I’m thrilled to return to CNBC at what is an exciting and transformative time for the media industry,” Bagchee said. “I’m looking forward to working with the talented international  team as we innovate to become increasingly essential to our audiences and serve those interested in markets and global business news as well as financial well-being content.” 

E.W. Scripps said it promoted John Cook to senior VP and general manager of KTNV, its ABC affiliate in Las Vegas, effective September 3.

Cook has been senior director of sales for Scripps stations WXYZ-WMYD Detroit since January 2021. 

He replaces Jeff Kiernan, who was promoted to VP of local news at Scripps in May.

“John is an experienced local media executive who has hit the ground running at Scripps, leading change in our stations amidst a constantly shifting media landscape,” said Anita Helt, regional VP and general manager at Scripps. “During his time with our Detroit stations, he has helped deliver impactful results against revenue objectives and has worked closely with all departments.”  

Before Scripps Cook was with Graham Media’s WDIV Detroit.

“I look forward to joining the team of professionals at KTNV and to diving into the vibrant Las Vegas community that ABC 13 serves,” Cook said. “It’s a true honor to have the opportunity to lead this talented team. Together, we will continue to deliver critical community journalism and high-quality sports entertainment through our Scripps Sports partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights.”

Former WarnerMedia executive Tony Goncalves has joined measurement company Mediaprobe as an adviser.

Goncalves also recently started The Evrose Group, an advisory firm serving media technology and entertainment executives and businesses.

“Tony has vast leadership experience that is proving valuable in dealing with the complex media and entertainment industry, notably in his advisor role with Mediaprobe,” Mediaprobe CEO and co-founder Pedro Almeida said. “His strategic and go-to-market guidance has been critical as we continue to scale our U.S. business and introduce more companies and brands to the value of quantifying and understanding the emotional engagement of audiences.” 

As chief revenue officer at AT&T’s WarnerMedia, Goncalves was involved in the launch of HBO Max. More recently he was involved in the sale of Reese Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine to Blackstone. 

“Mediaprobe is leading in biometric measurement standards analyzing real-time emotional engagement of content — incredibly insightful data for both media companies and advertisers; precisely the insights I sought as a seller,” Goncalves said. “As a Portuguese native, I feel especially proud to be working with them and serving as a catalyst for this country’s vast, largely untapped media and tech sector.” 

Almeida co-founded Mediaprobe in 2016 alongside chief technology officer Nuno Dias.

Mediaprobe uses biometric data through galvanic skin response technology to measure real-time, second-by-second, emotional engagement from video and audio content, as well as live events.

Nexstar Media Group said it appointed Ellen Johnson to its board of directors, effective Oct.1.

Johnson is executive VP and chief financial officer for ad agency holding company Interpublic Group of Cos. 

She will be the 10th member of the Nexstar board and will serve as one of nine independent directors. Three of the independent directors are women, Nexstar noted.

Johnson will stand for election at Nexstar’s 2025 annual meeting.

“She is an integral member of IPG’s executive team with an established record of success in the advertising and marketing services industries,” Nexstar chairman and CEO Perry Sook said. “Her extensive leadership experience in accounting, corporate finance and information technology, combined with her expertise in all areas of ESG will be invaluable to Nexstar as we continue to advance our business and execute on the company’s goals to enhance shareholder value.”

Before becoming CFO at IPG, she was senior VP of finance and treasurer at the company. Johnson is a CPA who holds an executive MBA in finance from New York University Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany.

“Nexstar is a scaled media and entertainment business with a unique portfolio of local and national assets, including NewsNation, The CW and The Hill,” Johnson said. “I look forward to sharing my experience with the Board and management team as the company pursues its continued growth.”

Dean Ditmer has been named VP and general manager of KATU-KUNP Portland. He had been the president and general manager of KPNX-KMSB-KTTU Tucson, Arizona. 

Sinclair owns the Portland, Oregon, duopoly. Cortlandt Cuffee is retiring as the VP/general manager. 

Ditmer’s earlier leadership positions include director of sales at KUSA Denver, general manager of Sinclair’s WKEF-WRGT Dayton and director of sales at WCCO Minneapolis.

Local News Close-Up: Stumptown Gets Over the Hump

“We are thrilled to welcome Dean back to Sinclair. Dean’s extensive experience and proven leadership make him the perfect fit to lead KATU and KUNP,” Rob Weisbord, Sinclair chief operating officer, and president of Local Media, said. “We are confident that under his guidance, these stations will continue to thrive and serve the Portland community with excellence.” 

Ditmer has recently served on several public and non-profit boards, including the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University, the Arizona Broadcasters Association and the Arizona Interscholastic Association Advisory Board.

“It is an honor and pleasure to rejoin Sinclair where, as a leader, I enjoyed the most rewarding and fulfilling work of my professional career,” Ditmer said. “Rob is leading transformative change within our industry and I am eager to get started to help support that transformation at the terrific operation in Portland.”

Norah O’Donnell is stepping down from the CBS Evening News anchor chair after the election and will take on what she told staffers is “a new position” at CBS News, as senior correspondent. 

O’Donnell started in the anchor and managing editor role in July 2019, moving up from CBS This Morning.  

“I’ll still be anchoring all of our major coverage this year, election night and hopefully a debate!” she said in a memo to staffers. “Beyond that, I’m pleased to share that I have made a long-term commitment to CBS News to continue to do the same storytelling and big interviews that have been our hallmark. I will continue to contribute to Evening News and all of our news broadcasts, including 60 Minutes.”

Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Television Stations and CBS Media Ventures, said in her own note to staffers that the decision is O’Donnell’s. “Just a few moments ago, Norah O’Donnell shared her decision to step away from the Evening News desk after the election, moving into a new role at CBS — a role that will enable her to, as she notes, do something different, and thankfully for us, do more of the storytelling and big interviews that are a hallmark of CBS News, as well as Norah’s illustrious career,” McMahon said. 

McMahon said O’Donnell’s new role will give her “the time and the support to deliver even more of the exceptional stories she is known for across our shows and streams, across CBS Network and Paramount Plus. She will have the real estate and flexibility to leverage big bookings on numerous platforms, including primetime specials, 60 Minutes, CBS News Sunday Morning, and more.

No successor on CBS Evening News has been named. 

O’Donnell succeeded Jeff Glor in the role in 2019. 

“We just celebrated an amazing five years together,” she told staffers. “I love what I do, and I am so fortunate to work with the best journalists and people in the business. Together, our team has won Emmy, Murrow, and DuPont awards. We managed to anchor in-studio through COVID; we took the broadcast on the road from aircraft carriers to the Middle East and around the world. We were privileged to conduct a historic interview with Pope Francis. There’s so much work to be proud of! But I have spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, tied to a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It’s time to do something different. This presidential election will be my seventh as a journalist, and for many of us in this business we tend to look at our careers in terms of these milestone events.”

Telly, the company that made a splash last year by offering free TVs to consumers in exchange for their viewing data, said it hired Mike Shehan as its first chief revenue officer.

Shehan was previously co-founder and CEO of SpotX, which was acquired by Magnite for $1.2 billion. Some of that cash was invested in Telly. At Telly, he will focus on expanding the company’s advertising capabilities and building relationships with marketers, buyers, programmers and programmatic platforms.

“Mike’s track record at SpotX, transforming the future of global TV advertising through digital innovation, uniquely positions him to lead our efforts reinventing consumer engagement on the biggest screen in the home,” Telly founder and CEO Ilya Pozin said.

Also Read: Telly Falls Short of 500K Customer Goal for 2023, but Does Get Effusively Positive ZDNet Review

Since selling SpotX, Shehan has run Roster Capital, a venture-capital company, and has been a director and investor in several tech startups.

“I have been at the forefront of the CTV industry since its inception, working alongside nearly every leading device manufacturer, broadcaster, and streamer globally,” Shehan said. “In my experience, nothing rivals the richness, depth, and precision of Telly’s audience data. The unparalleled value proposition of providing the smartest TV for free to consumers in exchange for never-before-available data insights translates directly into delivering exceptional value to advertisers and content partners alike.”

Comcast said it named Lance West as executive VP of federal government affairs and head of its Washington, D.C., office, effective September 3.

West was most recently VP of federal government relations for the American Petroleum Institute.

He succeeds Mitch Rose, who had held the post since 2020 and retired earlier this year.  

West will report to Tom Reid, chief legal officer and secretary for Comcast.

“With his exceptional leadership experience, wide reach on the Hill, and broad understanding of the regulatory landscape, Lance brings fresh strategic perspectives to the company that will enrich our engagement with policymakers and other stakeholders at this critical time,” Reid said.

At Comcast, West will oversee the company’s advocacy strategy and ensure the company’s leadership voice is represented in Washington. He will lead a team that collaborates with industry associations, advocacy groups and other stakeholders to support the company’s goals.

Before joining API in 2023, West served as chief of staff to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). 

“Comcast is the leader in global media and technology, and I could not be more excited to join this dynamic team,” West said. “I look forward to helping advance Comcast’s vision and priorities benefiting the millions of customers we proudly serve. The future is bright.”

Michelle Benitez has been promoted to anchor and Jesús Bastidas to anchor and multimedia journalist at KULX Salt Lake City, part of NBCUniversal Local’s Telemundo Station Group. They debut in their new roles Monday, July 29, during the 5 p.m. edition of Noticiero Telemundo Utah. 

Benitez joins from WUVG Atlanta, known as Univision 34, where she was evening and late news anchor. Before that, she was an anchor at WINK and WSFL in Fort Myers, and an assistant producer and reporter at WTMO Orlando, known as Telemundo 31. 

Also Read: Local News Close-Up: As Salt Lake Population Booms, Stations Greet New Arrivals

“Michelle is an award-winning journalist with considerable experience covering a range of subjects, from politics to sports, and interviewing leading officials and high-profile figures,” said Amy Alvarez, KULX news director. “She is a tremendous addition to our new team, and we’re excited about the contributions she’ll make to Noticiero Telemundo Utah.”

Bastidas joined KULX in 2022 as a multimedia journalist, contributing to Noticiero Telemundo Utah. Prior to KULX, Bastidas was an anchor and producer for VPItv, based in Miami.

"Jesús has proven to be a valuable asset in his more than two years with Telemundo Utah, and his professionalism and passion for journalism are apparent to our Noticiero Telemundo Utah audiences,” said Alvarez. “This is a well-deserved opportunity for him to expand his impact in serving our communities and contributions within our talented newsroom.”