Cox Media Group Announces Senior Leadership Changes for National Ad Platforms, Radio and Digital Businesses

ATLANTA, July 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Media Group (CMG) is making major senior leadership changes in its National Ad Platforms, Radio and Digital businesses that best support the company's momentum achieved over the last few years. The new appointments and promotions include Kim Guthrie, as CMG's Executive VP (EVP) of National Ad Platforms and President of Cox Reps, the country's largest television advertising rep firm based in New York City; Bill Hendrich will succeed Guthrie as EVP of Radio and CMG Research, based in Atlanta; and Marian Pittman, CMG's new EVP of Digital Strategy, will oversee CMG's digital strategy, content and sales, also based in Atlanta.    

"We are fortunate to have proven, talented and inspirational leaders within CMG that we can tap for critical positions throughout the company," said CMG President Bill Hoffman.

CoxReps
Jim Monahan, President of CoxReps, has announced his retirement after 35 years with the company.  "Thanks to Jim's leadership, CoxReps is now the country's major advertising rep firm representing 350 television station clients," said Hoffman. "Jim, who has cultivated invaluable industry relationships, has worked tirelessly to secure the company's stellar reputation as the go-to television advertising partner. We will miss Jim's passion for the business and spirit and wish him all the best in his next, great life adventure."

In her new role as CMG's EVP of National Ad Platforms and President of Cox Reps, Kim Guthrie, formerly Executive VP of Radio, now will oversee all of CMG's television advertising platform businesses, including CoxReps, Videa and Gamut.  She started her broadcasting career as a TV news reporter and anchor and has always overseen TV markets in her leadership roles, in addition to her radio markets.

"Kim's job driving results in the radio division stands as testimony to that, and she has wonderful cross-over skills that apply to any of our Cox businesses," added Hoffman. "Kim's stations have won multiple honors for programming excellence and outstanding community service. She is the right leader to build on Jim's momentum to take CoxReps to the next level of excellence and to work with Gene Pizzolato and Shereta Williams as the Gamut and Videa teams explore the automated ad marketplace."

"CoxReps is the largest TV rep firm in America and has a strong reputation for producing results for our television customers in an incredibly competitive marketplace," said Guthrie. "Additionally, Videa and Gamut represent incredible new opportunities to explore the automated marketplace, and we are seeing some very encouraging signs.  Both businesses have promising trajectories, and it's our job to continue to build and support these businesses and adapt as the advertising marketplace becomes more nimble."

Radio
Jacksonville Radio VP and General Manager Bill Hendrich will succeed Guthrie as Executive VP of Radio and CMG Research. Hendrich joined CMG Radio in 1996 in Orlando and has led countless award-winning teams that have produced outstanding creative content for CMG's radio audiences, quantifiable sales results for customers, and internal and external customer service satisfaction for CMG's employees and clients.

"Bill inspires talented team members and peers to excel in their jobs so our brands will always be in position to have great success," said Hoffman. "Bill's leadership will ensure a seamless transition to keep our radio brands informing, inspiring, entertaining and helping to improve the communities we serve."

"The opportunity to lead all of the talented team members in CMG Radio as we evolve our business for continued success in the changing media landscape is an honor," added Hendrich. "I look forward to working with the Radio team and the CMG leadership team as we continue to provide engaging traditional and digital content for our audiences and results driven sales solutions to our clients."

VP and GM of Orlando Radio Susan Larkin is promoted to Regional VP of Jacksonville and Orlando Radio and will also assume responsibility for Jacksonville Radio, overseeing the award-winning brands in both of these highly-competitive markets.

Digital
Former VP of News and Marketing for Television Marian Pittman now oversees CMG's digital strategy, content and sales efforts as EVP of Digital Strategy, succeeding Neil Johnston who was recently named Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer for Cox Automotive.  Pittman's division will also include CMG's Digital Content Desk, Fans First Media and the Washington (D.C.) News Bureau.

"Marian's background has been dedicated to standing up great TV News brands, and she has a keen sense of and an entrepreneurial spirit for harnessing new technology to help CMG develop and deliver our content," added Hoffman. "She has driven our digital extensions in the TV division to new and significant levels of success by building a first-rate team that allowed us to have a major impact on our digital efforts."

"I am looking forward to further integrating CMG's core newspaper, radio and TV media strategies with our digital and new media," said Pittman. "My team will build upon the momentum already created to align CMG's content growth with significant revenue opportunities, driven by a laser focus on mobile."

About Cox Media Group
Cox Media Group is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of CoxReps.  Additionally, CMG owns Cox Target Media, which operates Valpak, one of North America's leading direct marketing companies, and Savings.com, a leading online source for savings.  The company's operations currently include 14 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 59 radio stations, seven daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services.  CMG currently operates in more than 20 media markets and reaches approximately 52 million Americans weekly, including more than 31 million TV viewers, more than 3.5 million print and online newspaper readers, and more than 14 million radio listeners.  For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at www.coxmediagroup.com.

SOURCE Cox Media Group

For further information: Morieka Johnson, (678) 645-4102, Morieka.Johnson@coxinc.com