The shakeup at National Geographic Channels U.S. continued with Fox Sports veteran David Hill being named chairman and Courteney Monroe named CEO.
The company said that CEO David Lyle is stepping down, a day after it was announced that president Howard Owens was leaving.
In the first quarter, National Geographic Channel’s ratings with adults 18 to 49 in primetime was down 9%.
Hill, who serves as senior executive VP of 21st Century Fox and is a member of the National Geographic Channels board of directors, is adding the title of chairman of National Geographic Channels U.S. He will provide counsel to the executive and programming leadership team.
“Over the past several decades David Hill has continually demonstrated his unique gift for live-action and scripted storytelling. His work for Fox Sports alone would fill volumes, and he will continue to be an unparalleled asset to the board, now at an elevated level, as well as an invaluable advisor to our channels team. We could not be more delighted to have his creative counsel,” Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society, and Peter Rice, chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group, said in a statement. Nat Geo Channels U.S. is a joint venture of 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Society.
Monroe has served as chief marketing officer for National Geographic Channels’ domestic networks since joining the company in January 2012.
“Courteney is a truly remarkable executive, with a proven track record of energizing programming brands — both here at National Geographic Channels and during her time at HBO,” Rice and Knell said. “She is also a proven leader, who has a clear vision of the television landscape, and we are very lucky to have her overseeing our domestic channels.”
