CNN Worldwide Hires Janet Rollé As CMO

By Alex Weprin 

CNN Worldwide has hired Janet Rollé as executive VP and CMO. In her new role Rollé will be tasked with leading brand strategy and marketing efforts for all of the CNN brands, including CNN/U.S. and CNN International.

She will be based in New York and report to CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton, who sent a note to staff about her hire on Friday.

She joins CNN from BET Networks, where she served as executive VP and CMO.

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Walton’s note to staff is after the jump.

To: CNN Staff

From: Jim Walton

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I have been watching our coverage of the Japan earthquake and tsunami since last night, and am impressed not just by how quickly we were on the story, but also with the accuracy and sensitivity of our reporting. CNN’s global perspective and reach advantage are demonstrated again and again in times of international breaking news events, but I am always proudest of the human dimension of our journalism and the professionalism and commitment of the men and women of CNN who bring these stories to the wider world. This responsibility comes first, even on days when I had planned to share other important news about our organization. This is one of those days.

Later today we will announce that Janet Rollé is joining CNN Worldwide as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. This is a key leadership and execution role within our organization, and we’ve taken the time necessary to make what I consider is a very strong hire for CNN. Janet’s years of experience, her intelligence and her enthusiasm to be part of CNN convince me that she will make important contributions here as a thought-leader, innovator and steward of the CNN brand. She’s eager to roll up her sleeves and I look forward to introducing her to you.

The press release announcing her hire is copied below. When Janet joins us in the coming weeks, please extend to her a warm welcome. Today, the earthquake and its aftermath, along with events in the Middle East and all the other news breaking around the world today, is our focus. Janet understands, as do I. And we appreciate your contributions to the work of CNN.

The CNN press release:

Janet Rollé Named Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for CNN Worldwide

Janet Rollé, who has led marketing strategy and execution for leading media brands at BET, MTV Networks and HBO, will join CNN Worldwide as executive vice president and chief marketing officer, it was announced today by Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. Rollé, who will report directly to Walton, will be based in New York.

Rollé is joining CNN from BET Networks, where as executive vice president and chief marketing officer she led brand strategy and marketing efforts, including on-air promotions, off-channel and digital marketing, affiliate and trade marketing. She directed a redesign of the BET network on air, and comprehensive, multi-platform marketing campaigns for the brand’s signature successes, including BET’s history-making scripted series THE GAME, The BET Honors and the BET Awards, for which BET received multiple Promax/BDA Awards.

Advertising Age magazine named her one of “10 Who Made Their Mark” in 2010 for her noteworthy brand development work at BET.

“Janet has a deep understanding of and experience with brands that have profound relevance and resonance for consumers,” said Walton. “She understands the power and potential of branding for multiple platforms, and she brings a fresh perspective to our continuing conversation with our audience. I look forward to her contributions on behalf of CNN.”

“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the stellar CNN team at this important time in the evolution of this venerable and venerated brand,” said Rollé. “I hope that my contributions will lead us to even greater success, as we embrace the challenges and opportunities to serve our vast audiences around the world with news and information relevant to their lives that will meaningfully shape their perceptions of our world.”

Before joining BET Networks, Rollé worked at AOL as Vice President and General Manger of AOL Black Voices and AOL Women’s and Lifestyle Programming from 2005-2007. In this role, she oversaw editorial programming for AOL Black Voices and the 10 websites in the lifestyle category.

From 2000-2005, Rollé worked at MTV Networks as the vice president of programming enterprises and business development for VH1 and CMT. She began her business career at HBO, where she spent nearly 10 years, eventually rising to Director of Marketing and New Media for HBO Home Video.

Rollé earned her MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, where she was the President of the Black Business Students Association. She received her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from the State University of New York at Purchase. She serves on the Board of Directors of the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies and on the Nominating Committee for the Board of Directors of the United States Tennis Association.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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