Katz Tapped As Scripps’ National Nets Head

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With Lisa Knutson rising from the EVP/CFO role to lead the newly combined businesses of ION Media, the digital multicast channels under the Katz Networks brand, and its OTT-to-MVPD offering NewsyThe E.W. Scripps Company has appointed a television industry veteran with a surname matching its multicast unit to head them on a day-to-day basis.


Now serving as COO and Head of Entertainment for Scripps’ new national TV networks business is Jonathan Katz. Katz will report to Knutson.

The move is hardly a surprise: Katz is founder and President/CEO of the Katz networks, which Scripps acquired in 2017.

In his new role, Katz will have responsibility for the networks’ entertainment brands including Bounce, Laff, Grit, Court TV Mystery and the ION networks as well as Black consumer-focused streaming service Brown Sugar and syndicated pop culture talk program “The List.” Katz will also have additional oversight of revenue, research, marketing and programming for the entire portfolio of Scripps’ national networks.

Katz is known for launching the Bounce network in 2011 as a broadcast television network dedicated to serving African-American audiences. Three years later, he founded the Katz networks as digital multicast programming needs widened.

In his current role, Katz resurrected the Court TV brand network in 2019, its expansion into the United Kingdom this year, and the development of true crime-focused Court TV Mystery.

Before founding the Katz networks, he was SVP/GM of program planning and acquisitions for all of the Turner Entertainment Networks including TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and TCM, including acquisitions work for the original Court TV and The WB broadcast network.

Additionally, Katz oversaw the re-branding and relaunch of WTBS in Atlanta as WPCH-17 under the “Peachtree TV” brand and led all aspects of the station’s operations as general manager.

Before joining Turner’s Entertainment Group in 2000, he was vice president of marketing for CNN Newsource.

Katz launched his career in local TV with roles in programming, advertising, publicity, promotion, production and news at WTOG-44, a one-time “Superstation” in Tampa-St. Petersburg. He’s also worked at WJZY-TV in Charlotte, WDBB-TV in Birmingham and at WCFT-TV in Tuscaloosa, Ala.