trending Market Intelligence /marketintelligence/en/news-insights/trending/9layhksmevqlzekvs-bb0g2 content esgSubNav
In This List

FOX News, FOX Business Network get new CEO; Sony unit TV, film shake-up persists

Podcast

Next in Tech | Episode 50: InfoSec spending up, again…

Blog

Broadcast deal market recap 2021

Podcast

Next in Tech | Episode 49: Carbon reduction in cloud

Blog

Price wars in India: Disney+ Hotstar vs. Amazon Prime Video vs. Netflix


FOX News, FOX Business Network get new CEO; Sony unit TV, film shake-up persists

S&P Global Market Intelligence presents a weekly rundown of executive changes in the U.S. technology, media and communications industries.

TOP STORIES

* Sony Pictures Entertainment, under Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra, continues to undergo job cuts and reshuffling across its television and film divisions as the Sony Corp. unit tries to improve its bottom line, Variety reported May 17, citing unnamed sources. Crackle, Sony Pictures Entertainment's ad-supported streaming platform, recently let 12 employees go, two of whom were at senior vice president and vice president level in digital media sales, according to the report. The division is reportedly being restructured, with digital ad sales and ad solutions combining. Once reconfigured, the new department will report to a senior vice president in ad solutions. Crackle's games division will also lose a vice president and will be merged with its partnerships and data departments into a new unit, the report said. Sony Pictures Entertainment reportedly intends to fold its home entertainment department into its TV unit as part of the shake-up, which is likely to cause more job cuts, the sources said, adding that the company signaled the plan when it announced that Keith Le Goy, TV distribution president, would be given oversight of home entertainment. The memo also said that Sony Pictures Television Inc. Worldwide Networks President Andy Kaplan, Sony Pictures Television President and Chief Marketing Officer Sheraton Kalouria and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment President Man Jit Singh were let go. Sony Pictures Entertainment is considering reducing its film operations, particularly restructuring and reducing headcount in its theatrical marketing division, Variety reported. Josh Greenstein, president of worldwide marketing and distribution, is reportedly reviewing the group to find ways to make the marketing division more efficient and globally oriented, according to people familiar with the matter. In April, Christine Birch, Sony Pictures Entertainment's domestic marketing chief, was purportedly forced out of the company and has yet to be replaced, the report said.

* Suzanne Scott will lead 21st Century Fox Inc.'s FOX News Channel (US) and FOX Business Network (US) as CEO. Scott was previously the president of programming for both networks. The company also tapped Jay Wallace to be president of FOX News and executive editor. Jack Abernethy will continue to serve as CEO of the newly expanded FOX Television Stations Group, according to a May 17 news release. Previously, Wallace was the executive vice president of news and editorial for FOX News.

Media industry moves

* Saga Communications Inc. COO Warren Lada is retiring at the end of June. Lada has been with the company for 27 years. He was named COO of Saga in March 2016. Prior to his COO role, Lada served as president and general manager for Saga radio station WAQY Rock 102.

* Former Media General Inc. CEO Vincent Sadusky will succeed Randy Falco as CEO of Univision Communications Inc. as soon as June 1, The Wall Street Journal reported May 22, citing sources with knowledge of the matter. In March, Univision confirmed reports that Falco planned to step down as CEO at year-end. The announcement of Falco's departure came after parent Univision Holdings Inc. asked to withdraw its proposed IPO "due to prevailing market conditions."

* Six Flags Entertainment Corp. promoted Taylor Brooks to vice president and chief accounting officer, effective June 15. Brooks succeeds Mario Centola, who will become vice president of international operations and business development. Brooks joined the company in 2013 as financial reporting manager and in 2015 was named director of accounting and assistant controller.

* Tronc Inc. appointed Michael Lavey controller and chief accounting officer, effective May 18. Lavey assumes the chief accounting officer role from Terry Jimenez, who will continue to serve as the company's executive vice president and CFO. Lavey has served as senior vice president and corporate controller of the company since May 2015. Before joining Tronc, he was vice president and corporate controller at A.H. Belo Corp.

* Aref Matin joined John Wiley & Sons Inc. as chief technology officer, effective May 21. Previously, Matin served as executive vice president and technology chief at Ascend Learning LLC, a provider of content, software and analytics services in the healthcare education space.

* Amazon.com Inc.'s Amazon Studios has appointed Vernon Sanders as co-head of television, Deadline reported. Sanders, a former executive at NBCUniversal Media LLC, will work with Albert Cheng in overseeing creative and production units of Amazon Prime Video's TV operations. Cheng, who is also COO of Amazon's California-based entertainment division, was appointed to the same role in April. Both Sanders and Cheng will report to Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, who was selected for the role in February, replacing Roy Price, who stepped down in October 2017 over mismanagement and sexual harassment allegations. Salke also previously worked at the Comcast Corp. unit as NBC Entertainment's president.

* Web.com Group Inc. promoted Jennifer Lada to senior vice president and CFO of the company, effective July 1. Lada currently serves as vice president and chief accounting officer of the company. Before joining Web.com in 2017, Lada was vice president of financial reporting at PGA TOUR Inc. She succeeds Kevin Carney, who has been with Web.com for 20 years and has served as executive vice president and CFO since 2002. Carney will continue as CFO until his retirement while working with Lada on a smooth transition, the company said May 21.

* Viacom Inc. tapped Pamela Kaufman as president of Viacom/Nickelodeon global consumer products. In this role, Kaufman will oversee worldwide licensing and merchandising and provide strategic focus on maximizing the company's portfolio of brands and franchise properties, according to a May 21 news release. Kaufman previously served as president of consumer products and chief marketing officer for Nickelodeon.

* Nicolle Pangis has joined NCC Media as president and CEO. In this role, Pangis will be responsible for all revenue, business operations and technology development with a focus on partnering with and empowering brands to connect with audiences, according to a May 21 news release. Pangis previously served as global COO at GroupM's [m] PLATFORM. GroupM is the media investment group of WPP PLC. NCC Media is owned by Charter Communications Inc., Comcast and Cox Communications Inc.

* Douglas Osrow stepped down as CFO of Remark Holdings Inc., effective May 15, to pursue other opportunities. The company began a search process for a new financial chief. Osrow will serve as a consultant to Remark through the remainder of 2018 to ensure a successful transition, the company said in a May 18 SEC filing.

* Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. appointed Nathan Kahane president of the company's Motion Picture Group. In addition, former Good Universe and Walt Disney Co. executive Erin Westerman was named executive vice president of production, the company said May 17. The moves are part of a realignment of the company's motion picture business. Kahane, a co-founder and CEO of Good Universe, acquired by Lions Gate in October 2017, and former president of Mandate Pictures, has served as an executive producer on more than 30 films.

* Jeff Holden is stepping down as Uber Technologies Inc.'s chief product officer, Reuters reported May 18, citing a company spokesman. Holden reportedly oversaw Uber Elevate, the company's flying car operation, which is now headed by Eric Allison, the spokesman said. The spokesman, however, did not say why Holden was leaving.

Communications industry moves

* Robert Costantini has resigned as executive vice president and CFO of ORBCOMM Inc. In a May 22 SEC filing, the company said Costantini's departure was "not the result of any dispute or disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company's operations, policies, practices or financial statements, including its controls or other financial related matters." Constantine Milcos, the company's senior vice president and chief accounting officer since Sept. 25, 2013, will also serve as interim finance chief until the company finds a new CFO.

S&P Global Market Intelligence provides links to external sites where these offer further relevant information to our readers. While we ensure that such links are functional at the time of publication, we are not responsible in instances where those links are unavailable later.