Travel Channel Tuesday named network veteran Jonathan Sichel as its
interim general manager, taking over for departing GM Pat Younge.
Sichel, who has held his current position as senior vice president of commercial affairs and operations for Travel Channel Media since May 2007, will oversee all Travel Channel operations, according to network officials. Younge, who has helmed the channel since 2005, is returning to his former home in London.
Sichel's appointment comes a week after Scripps Inc. bought the network from Cox Communications for $1 billion.
In his former position, Sichel had been overseeing the business, operational, and legal functions of Travel Channel Media and its integrated travel media businesses. Travel Channel Media includes the Travel Channel network; travelchannel.com; and Travel Channel's interactive, video-on-demand (VOD) and mobile content businesses.
Prior to joining Travel, Sichel served as vice president for business affairs at Discovery Communications, where he was responsible for overseeing initiatives and for Discovery's Commerce and Consumer Products, and New Media, Divisions. Sichel also oversaw programming deals -- including co-productions, acquisitions, advertising and sponsorship, and format agreements -- for the company's domestic and international networks.
