David Levy Promoted to President of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

ATLANTA, Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- David Levy has been named president of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) by Chairman and CEO Phil Kent, the company announced today. In his new role, which is effective immediately, Levy adds oversight of Turner's domestic entertainment and animation & young adults networks and business portfolios to his current leadership of the company's advertising sales, affiliate sales and sports units. Levy is based in New York and reports to Kent.

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In addition to all of the company's domestic revenue, Levy now oversees all creative and business activity of the Turner signature networks TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim, as well as their digital brand extensions. This new role has full accountability for a majority of Turner's domestic business, which is a major driver of the company's growth and future. With his promotion, Levy adds Steve Koonin, 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 that includes Donna Speciale (Turner Entertainment & Animation Ad Sales), Greg D'Alba (CNN Ad Sales and Turner Digital Ad Sales), Coleman Breland (Turner Network Sales) and Lenny Daniels (Turner Sports). This new structure increases efficiency, focus and accountability for growth and results at Turner.

"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."

Levy inherits a portfolio of leading networks and brands including the #1 (TNT) and #3 (TBS) networks in prime time delivery of adults 18-34, 18-49 and 24-54; the two top dramas on basic cable this summer, Rizzoli & Isles and Major Crimes (TNT); the #1 (Cartoon Network) network in early prime delivery of boys 6-11 and 9-14, and #1 in total-day with boys 9-14; the #1 (Adult Swim) network in total day for eight consecutive years with young adults and young men; and the leading authority (Turner Classic Movies) in classic film, this year celebrating its 20^th year.

Previously president of sales, distribution and sports for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Levy continues to lead advertising sales strategy and operations, as well as affiliate sales, marketing promotion, interactive television and technology business development, for the Turner domestic news, entertainment, animation & young adults networks and businesses. He maintains oversight of the company's sports programming acquisitions, production, marketing, league relations and sports ad sales.

Under his leadership, Turner Ad Sales has continually out-performed the marketplace during the annual television upfront, achieving broadcast-parity CPMs for the company's networks and businesses. At Turner Sports, Levy has been instrumental in deepening and expanding Turner's programming and rights relationships with the NBA, Major League Baseball, the PGA and the NCAA. He is widely credited with expanding the longest-running league/programmer partnership in professional sports, when Turner assumed joint management of the NBA's digital businesses; with orchestrating Turner's part in a deal with CBS and the NCAA for rights to the Division I Men's Basketball Championship through 2024; and most recently, with extending Turner's media rights with MLB through 2021.

Earlier in his career, Levy served as co-president of Turner Broadcasting System International, overseeing programming, revenue, marketing, business development and joint partnerships in Asia, Europe and Latin America. He began his career at Turner Broadcasting in 1986 as an account executive and rose through successive sales leadership roles to become the company's first president of international advertising sales, in 1998.

A graduate of Syracuse University, Levy's many professional honors include membership in the 2012 class of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

SOURCE Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.