Discovery’s Jon Steinlauf Tapped For Top U.S. Ad Sales Job at Warner Bros. Discovery

By Jon Lafayette
( Broadcasting & Cable )
last updated

Exec joined Discovery when it acquired Scripps Networks Interactive

Jon Steinlauf Discovery Upfront
Jon Steinlauf

Continuing to set the executive lineup for after Discovery’s imminent acquisition of WarnerMedia from AT&T, Jon Steinlauf was named the combined company’s chief U.S. advertising sales officer.

Steinlauf had held the same title for Discovery. JP Colaco, who was brought in by WarnerMedia’s short-lived CEO Jason Kilar to head up ad sales, is leaving the company. Colaco’s top deputies, including Katrina Cukaj, will be reporting to Steinlauf.

Steinlauf was a survivor when Discovery acquired Scripps Networks Interactive. He was head of ad sales for Scripps and tapped to head ad sales for the combined company. Before Scripps, Steinlauf was with Turner, now part of WarnerMedia.

In the new company, Steinlauf will report to Bruce Campbell, who was designated as chief revenue and strategy officer for Warner Bros. Discovery after the deal closes.

“Jon is an industry pioneer, a brilliant thinker and an excellent leader,“ Campbell said. ”I couldn’t be more thrilled to have him join the Warner Bros. Discovery leadership team. I look forward to partnering with him and the entire organization as we bring together two world-class sales organizations to create a complete and differentiated offering for our advertiser.” 

Steinlauf has led Discovery’s effort to get prices closer to broadcast for its highest-rated cable programs by bundling them into a package called Discovery Premiere. He also led the effort to sell commercial at premium prices on Discovery Plus and will aim to do the same thing with the ad-supported version of WarnerMedia’s HBO Plus.

“I am honored to be leading what I believe will be the most talented ad sales organization in the industry,” Steinlauf said. “Warner Bros. Discovery will offer advertisers the most complementary portfolio of brands — spanning news, sports, entertainment, scripted, unscripted and family-focused programming. Together, we will introduce unparalleled ad-supported streaming opportunities to our clients. I've spent the last 30 years of my career at Turner, Scripps and Discovery and have the utmost respect for the Warner brands. It is incredible to me that everything will come full circle at Warner Bros. Discovery.” ■

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.