David Levy Becomes President of Turner Broadcasting System

NEW YORK: David Levy has been named president of Turner Broadcasting System, adding oversight for the company’s domestic entertainment and animation and young adult portfolios.

Levy now has oversight for all creative and business activities for TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim, as well as their digital brand extensions. Based in New York, Levy reports directly to Phil Kent, the company’s chairman and CEO. With his promotion, Levy adds Steve Koonin, the president of Turner Entertainment Networks, and Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer of Turner Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media, to his direct-report team of business-unit heads.

He previously served as president of sales, distribution and sports at the company; Levy continues to lead advertising sales strategy and operations as well as affiliate sales, marketing promotion, interactive television and technology business development for Turner’s domestic news, entertainment, animation and young adults networks and businesses. He also continues to oversee the company’s sports programming acquisitions, production, marketing, league relations and sports ad sales.

“David is an extraordinary executive with a broad range of experience in just about every aspect of our business,” said Kent. “His imagination and audacity echo the spirit of Turner’s founder and namesake, and he inspires great teams to do their best work. Having worked closely with David for over 17 years, I know his capabilities and potential, and had planned to add to his already-considerable portfolio oversight of every aspect of our domestic entertainment and kids businesses, which represent well over half of our operating profit. John Martin and I discussed the future of Turner and this new structure upon the announcement of John’s appointment as the company’s next CEO. With his enthusiastic support, we agreed David will provide outstanding leadership to his longtime colleagues Steve Koonin and Stu Snyder, and will be a significant managerial asset to John, as CEO, and Turner.”
 
“I’m looking forward to leading Turner Broadcasting alongside Phil and John Martin, and I appreciate their confidence in me for this important role,” said Levy. “I have invested more than 25 years in our company. That cumulative experience affords me a unique understanding of our capabilities and a vision for how I’ll work with Steve Koonin and Stu Snyder and the great entertainment and animation networks teams, and with our colleagues in the revenue and sports units, to continue to evolve and grow Turner.”