Charter Communications said Wednesday that it has promoted Jim Dove to senior VP, Business Intelligence.  

“Jim continues to meet the increased needs of the organization, adding support for new Charter products, programs and business units,” said Jim Nuzzo, Charter executive VP FP&A and Business Planning, in a press release. “Today, the Business Intelligence team serves almost every operating group in the company, with solutions delivering reliable, high integrity key metric reporting and analytics at every level of the organization.”

Dove joined Charter in 2009 as VP, Business Intelligence, supporting business units to standardize operations and processes and to drive insight from a common view of the company’s data. Dove and his teams successfully integrated operational data from nearly 100 Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and legacy Charter systems to produce a unified Business Intelligence platform.

Prior to joining Charter, Dove was a partner at Sense Corp, leading the firm’s telecom practice. His cable experience began in 2001, when he worked with Charter Billing Operations to standardize its data, positioning the company to implement its first data warehouse. He subsequently led successful data warehouse implementations for Charter and Suddenlink.

Also Read: Charter Launches Spectrum Community Assist

Charter Communications said Tuesday it has promoted Cameron Blanchard, its chief media relations spokesperson and strategist, to executive VP, communications. She will continue to report to senior executive VP David Ellen.

In addition to leading the company’s external communications, Blanchard's role was recently expanded to include oversight of all internal communications for Charter’s more than 96,000 employees.

She joined Charter in 2019 as senior VP of communications from Condé Nast, where she served as chief communications officer and led the development and execution of that company’s communications plan, supporting the overall business strategy. Prior to that, she spent 19 years at NBCUniversal, where she served in a number of leadership positions, most recently as senior VP. 

"Since joining Charter, Cameron has had a significant impact on the company, quickly establishing herself as a valued strategic partner and effectively increasing both the volume and impact of Charter’s communications efforts,” Ellen said in a press release. “Cameron’s proactive approach to communications is playing an instrumental role in growing Charter’s reputation as an industry leader and in advancing Charter’s narrative both inside and outside the company."

Apple is making its first move to wean its 20-month-old Apple TV Plus streaming service off the promotional juice, cutting the one-year free trial it offers to purchasers of Apple hardware to just three months, starting July 1.

Apple said it had 660 million subscribers at the end of Q1 across its range of subscription services, which include not just the Apple TV Plus, but also Apple Arcade and Apple Music, just to name a few.

Apple has not disclosed a specific Apple TV Plus subscriber number since the service launched on November 1, 2019. Ampere Analysis estimates that the $4.99-a-month SVOD offering finished 2020 with more than 40 million subscribers, with the majority of them still getting the service for free after purchasing an iPhone, iPad or MacBook Pro. 

Apple TV Plus has struggled with a deficit of programming, a problem compounded by pandemic-related production delays. And until Ted Lasso came along, the service didn’t really have a certifiable hit. 

However, season 2 of Ted Lasso is coming soon (July 23), as are some other can’t-miss event series—the Simon Kinberg-produced Invasion (Oct. 22) among them. (We included trailer's to both shows below.)

Perhaps Apple feels it’s time to see if consumers will pay five bucks a month for its SVOD, despite its lack of library. 

Charter Communications said Tuesday that it has promoted Mike Reid to senior VP of corporate services. In his new position, Reid will oversee Charter’s corporate real estate and portfolio administration, facilities management, fleet management and travel management departments. He will continue to report to executive VP of financial and business planning, James Nuzzo.

“Throughout the past year, Mike has served as a company leader in our COVID-19 response, support and re-entry planning, and continues to help lead efforts to prepare for a post-pandemic workplace experience,” Nuzzo said in a press release. “His professionalism and communication skills and implementation of our corporate services roadmap have provided significant value to the company over the past two and a half years.”

Also Read: Charter Promotes Alison Hellman to Senior VP Content, Strategy and Marketing for Spectrum Networks

Reid has played a key role in overseeing Charter’s corporate real estate strategy. In 2020, he executed hundreds of real estate transactions, including support for more than 180 new Spectrum stores, and dozens of site construction and retrofit projects. Additionally, Reid is overseeing the construction of Charter’s new corporate headquarters at 400 Washington Boulevard in Stamford.

Reid joined Charter in 2018 from CenturyLink, where he served as the global corporate real estate and facilities management leader for Level 3 Communications, prior to their acquisition by CenturyLink. He also held global corporate services senior leadership roles for several international corporations across the pharmaceutical, life sciences and building materials industries. 

Laura Fleury has been promoted to senior vice president, development and programming, for LMN.

Fleury, who had been VP, will continue to report to Jana Bennett, president of LMN and FYI. Both networks are owned by A+E Networks, a joint venture of The Walt Disney Co. and Hearst.

“Laura is a skilled executive who has already built an impressive track record of significant accomplishments at LMN,” Bennett said. “Her powerful programming slate has led to significant audience growth for the network resulting in LMN’s placement among the top 25 networks for women.”

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

Their pro football interests aside, executives at NBCU’s flagship entertainment service now have another reason to dig corporate cousin NBC's presentation of Super Bowl XLIX.

USA Network's upcoming drama will benefit from Big Game exposure, as Dig will be highlighted in a 15-second spot during the first quarter of the NFL championship tussle between the defending champion Seaattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.

Running in the first quarter, the unit features clips from the international production, and series stars Jason Isaacs (Awake) and Anne Heche (Save Me). Dig, from Universal  Cable Productions and Keshet, tells tale of a murder mystery set against the backdrop of modern day Jerusalem in which an FBI agent (Isaacs) investigates the death of a young American and becomes embroiled in some of the Holy Land’s darkest secrets.

Dig joins E!'s The Royals in securing a promotional berth in what will be the biggest telecast of 2015 and perhaps in U.S. television history,  The 10-event miniseries will debut on USA's lineup on March 5 at 10 p.m. (ET).

They’re throwing footballs in the desert.

No, we’re not talking about Tom Brady and Russell Wilson -- they will do their thing on Sunday at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Rather, fans at the NFL Fan Experience in Phoenix are tossing nerf footballs dipped in various paints at blanks canvases as part of interactive exhibit sponsored by Oxygen to help promote its upcoming Street Art Throwdown competition series. On Thursday and Friday, fans, players and celebrities attending the NFL Fan Experience are putting the painted pigskins in flight as the starting points for the show’s contestants turning them into murals representing Play 60, the NFL’s youth outreach initiative, and nearby Luke Air Force Base, as charitable beneficiaries.  

Award-winning artist and show creator Justin Bua, co-judge Lauren Wagner and La’Roi Glover, former NFL player and current director of player engagement for the St. Louis Rams, were the judges for Thursday’s entries.

The show’s hosts will be joined in the judging on Friday by Olympic hurdler Queen Harrison.

On Saturday, the artists will work on two massive murals depicting the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, the NBC logo, and other Super Bowl-related fare. Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, Arizona Cardinals punter Drew Butler and actor Kellan Lutz (Twilight franchise and Legend of Hercules) were expected to be on hand.

The Saturday activities will be filmed in their entirety and then edited to be included as a segment in NBC’s six-hour pre-game show.

The high-profile promotional platform comes ahead of the show -- in which 10 contestants will create various outdoor art forms around Los Angeles with the winner taking home $100,000 --  which will premiere Tuesday, Feb. 3 debut at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).  

"We saw an amazing synergy between the high- energy, competitive nature of Super Bowl and street art,” said Bravo and Oyxgen Media executive vice president of marketing Ellen Stone. Partnering with NBC Sports and the NFL provided the perfect opportunity to highlight Street Art Throwdown, in an impactful way that literally touches the fans and allows them to experience the visually arresting nature of this art through on-site demonstrations by the incredible talent/artists throughout the weekend." .

Each day, the murals are vetted by the judges and then donated back to the participating charities or auctioned off by NFL for proceeds given to an NFL selected organization

OXYGEN’S SUPER BOWL SCHEDULE (all times MT)

THURSDAY & FRIDAY:

2-3pm: The charity organization stops by to meet artists, take photos at the activation site and participate in the pop-art challenge.

2-5:30pm: Pop-art challenge where consumers, fans and talent throw nerf footballs dipped in paint at blank canvas walls to create art splatter and backdrop for the mural.

6-9pm: Artists live-paint the specific theme on the pop-art splattered murals. Talent can participate in painting the mural.

9-9:30pm: Judging by two show hosts and NFL player/celebrity.

SATURDAY:

12-4pm: Live-painting massive Super Bowl XLIX themed murals – one for the New England Patriots, the other for the Seattle Seahawks. Talent will participate in the mural and hold photo opps.

4-4:30pm: Judging by two show hosts and NFL player/celebrity.

As it prepares for its planned spin-off as a separate public company, Phoenix-based Cable One promoted chief operating officer Julie Laulis to president and COO.

Laulis started her career at Cable One in in 1999 as Norwest Division marketing director in 1999. She was promoted to Southwest Division vice president in 2001, named senior vice president - chief operations officer in 2008, and promoted to chief operating officer in 2012.

“Julie has a broad 32-year cable background, and in her 15 years at Cable One she has demonstrated an ability to run day-to-day operations and execute difficult changes with exceptional results,” said CEO Tom Might said in a statement. “This promotion is well-deserved and positions Cable One for the significant new responsibilities of an independent, publicly traded company.”

Late last year Cable One parent Graham Holdings said it had authorized its board of directors to move forward with plans to spin-off of the cable operator as a separate company.  That spin is expected to occur later this year.

Prior to Cable One, Laulis was at Hauser Communications and Jones Intercable, where she held the positions of Customer Service Manager, System Marketing Manager, Training Coordinator, Corporate Marketing Director and Senior Director of Marketing. 

Laulis graduated cum laude from Indiana University in Bloomington with a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications. She attended the Woman in Cable Television Betsy Magness Leadership Institute in 1998-1999, and graduated from the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School in 2002. In 2004 she returned to Harvard to study Business Strategy, and has helped lead Cable One’s strategic planning since that time.

Laulis has also been active in several industry organizations and has served as vice president of the Washington/Baltimore Cable Marketing Council; treasurer of Women in Cable and Telecommunications, DC Chapter; board member of the Colorado Cable TV Association; secretary and vice president of Women in Cable Television NM-AZ Chapter; and on the Women’s Leadership Council - Valley of the Sun United Way.

In a separate announcement, Cable One said it promoted vice president, general counsel and secretary Alan Silverman to senior vice president, general counsel and secretary.

Silverman started with The Washington Post Company in 1984 as Assistant General Counsel of Newsweek Magazine.  While still at Newsweek, he worked on The Washington Post Company’s acquisition of Post-Newsweek Cable (Cable One) from Capital Cities in 1986.  Following the acquisition, Silverman became Vice President, General Counsel, Director of Administration, and Secretary of Cable One.