Media Moves

"I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem." And, with those words, John Skipper on Monday announced his resignation as President of ESPN and co-chairman of the Disney Media Networks.

Starting Jan. 2, 2018, the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) will have some fresh insights to deliver marketers on why they should consider radio for their brand's advertising and promotional efforts. That's when a former partner/director at media planning agency MEC joins the industry sales advocacy group.

After 15 years as President of Utah Scientific, Tom Harmon has announced his retirement. Come Jan. 1, 2018, a change in command will transpire, elevating the current COO and EVP/Finance into Harmon's soon-to-be former role.

Pandora has a new CMO. This individual is charging with bringing "Pandora’s next chapter to life through cutting-edge digital, social and mobile marketing initiatives." She'll also be tasked with leading consumer brand strategy, market positioning, performance-based and partnership marketing for the company. She arrives after a stint overseeing marketing and digital efforts for Banana Republic.

The former president of Maple Leaf RF Systems & Service has been appointed Eastern Region Account Manager/Television Products for Electronics Research Inc. -- known across the industry as ERI.

A 13-year veteran of NBCUniversal who has most recently served as President and co-Managing Partner of Channel Media Solutions (CMS) has just been named Chief Technology Officer for Disney|ABC Television Group.

Nearly four years after succeeding co-founder David Honig as President/CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), Kim Keenan has resigned from her post. Keenan has decided "to pursue other professional opportunities"; she did not elaborate on the reason for her exit. An interim leader has already been named.

Imagine Communications, a portfolio company of The Gores Group and a leader in empowering the media and entertainment industry through transformative technology innovation, has named Tom Cotney its new CEO. As a result, former CEO Charlie Vogt is joining parent The Gores Group as a Senior Advisor.

In November, Randy Freer exited Fox Networks Group (FNG) as President/COO to take the CEO role at Hulu. We now know who is succeeding Freer in the role, giving him operational oversight of FOX Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television; Fox Sports; Fox Cable Networks' FX Networks and National Geographic Partners; and Fox Networks Group Europe, Asia and Latin America. 

There are new SVP/Market Managers now in place at two Entercom markets in the Southeast U.S. In Orlando, the ex-VP/Director of Sales for CBS Radio takes the role. In a Tennessee market, the role is given to the former GSM of Cox Media Group's Jacksonville cluster.

The ABC Owned Television Stations Group has turned to The Walt Disney Co.'s ABC Television Network Online arm in selecting its new President. In doing so, it selects a woman who spent six years as VP/Creative Services and Programming for KABC-7 in Los Angeles.

Sinclair Broadcast Group has named a new Chief Revenue Officer for the company, and he's set to transition into the role on Jan. 1, 2018. It's a new role for the owner of TV and radio stations that intends to merger with Tribune Media, and is "a reflection of the increased diversification of our business and new revenue streams we are creating," President/CEO Chris Ripley notes.

A 35-year radio industry executive who has held such roles as EVP/Operations for Chancellor Broadcasting and the company it became, AMFM Inc.; as the EVP for Salem Media Group; and as EVP/Operations for iHeartMedia's Miami-Fort Lauderdale station group while the company was still known as Clear Channel is returning to the Sunshine State.

Kent Dunn is returning home to Georgia. As a result, Mark Haddon is "shifting his responsibilities" by no longer running an eight-station cluster owned and operated by Beasley Broadcast Group. Just don't call it a "demotion."

More than 40 years ago, John Ivey began his radio industry career as an on-air personality and music director at a station in his hometown of Owensboro, Ky. He's starting December 2017 with a promotion to the very top programming post for all of iHeartMedia's Top 40 radio stations.