Turner Ups CNN Ad Sales Chief Greg D’Alba

By Alex Weprin 

Turner Broadcasting has promoted CNN ad sales chief Greg D’Alba to president, news and Turner digital ad sales.

In his new role D’Alba will continue to oversee ad sales for the CNN networks, and will add oversight of Turner’s entire digital portfolio. As part of the move, Katrina Cukaj has been promoted to EVP of CNN ad sales, responsible for managing sales for the CNN networks.

Turner also added MediaVest president Donna Speciale as president of Turner entertainment and animation ad sales.

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More information, after the jump.

Turner Broadcasting Ad Sales Division Announces Executive Leadership Realignment

Greg D’Alba and Donna Speciale to Lead in New President Roles, with Promotions and New Assignments for Key Executives Across the Organization

A number of high-level organizational changes to Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s (TBS, Inc.) advertising sales division designed to more closely align and integrate operating functions within each of the sales business units were announced today by David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports for TBS, Inc. Leading the TBS, Inc. Ad Sales organization will be longtime Turner executive Greg D’Alba, in the newly created position of president, News and Turner Digital Ad Sales, and well-regarded industry executive Donna Speciale will join the company from MediaVest USA as president, Turner Entertainment & Animation Ad Sales. D’Alba and Speciale each will lead a team of senior sales executives who will work across the Turner domestic portfolio of television networks, Web sites and digital platforms.

“Realigning our sales operations will allow for greater integration of our businesses and leading portfolio of linear, digital and mobile brands to better serve our advertising partners,” said Levy. “I’m excited about the people we have selected to lead these areas. I have worked with Greg for more than 20 years. His leadership experience, successful track record of sales integration across multiple platforms and strong relationships within our news organization have significantly increased the value of CNN’s multi-platform brands. Donna’s vast experience on the agency side of the business, brand-management expertise and proven track record of innovation and creative thinking will be a great fit with Turner Broadcasting. Greg and Donna will make a dynamic team and I am looking forward to partnering with them in their new roles and responsibilities.”

In addition to D’Alba and Speciale, the executive team reporting to Levy includes Coleman Breland, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Turner Network Sales; Lenny Daniels, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Turner Sports; and Michael Salerno, who is being promoted to executive vice president of strategic planning & operations and adds ad sales operations to his oversight of strategic planning for Turner’s linear and digital networks and platforms.

In a further effort to centralize all of Turner’s leading brands and platforms across all of the sales divisions, as part of this realignment Levy will add a new executive vice president of sales promotions and marketing. This position will be responsible for overseeing all Ad Sales Marketing and Promotions for Turner’s linear and digital divisions.

D’Alba Team Assignments

Most recently, D’Alba served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for CNN Ad Sales, Marketing and Operations, where he was responsible for all domestic ad sales, marketing strategies and business operations for the CNN portfolio of networks and businesses, as well as overseeing the direct response business for Turner’s portfolio of linear and digital properties. In his new role, he will oversee ad sales for the CNN portfolio of networks and Turner’s expansive digital news, entertainment, sports and animation properties, as well as Turner’s Direct Response business.

To move the digital division into its next phase of growth and the opportunity to further integrate with all platforms and genres, Walker Jacobs now reports to D’Alba in the newly created role of executive vice president of digital ad sales. In his new expanded capacity, Jacobs will manage digital and mobile ad sales across Turner’s portfolio of sports, entertainment, kids and youth brands, as well as the CNN digital and mobile advertising sales division.

Katrina Cukaj is being promoted to executive vice president of CNN Ad Sales and will continue to report directly to D’Alba. Most recently senior vice president of news sales and marketing, she will be responsible for managing advertising sales for CNN’s television networks, including CNN, HLN and Airport.

Speciale Team Assignments

Speciale currently serves as president of Investment and Activation and Agency Operations for MediaVest USA. In this role, she leads national and local video investment, publishing, digital and out-of-home for the company. Under her guidance, MediaVest has earned a reputation for being an innovative and strategic investment partner to clients and vendors, including Kraft, Masterfoods, P&G and Coca-Cola, among others. She will transition to her new position at Turner and will lead ad sales for the company’s entertainment, kids and youth networks, including TBS, TNT, truTV, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. Additionally, Speciale will co-lead Cartoon Network Enterprises, which includes consumer products, licensing, home video/DVD and retail development, with Stu Snyder, president and chief operating officer of Turner’s Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media (AYAKM) division.

Frank Sgrizzi, who most recently served as senior vice president of New York ad sales and operations for Turner Entertainment, has been named to the newly created position of executive vice president of Turner Entertainment Ad Sales. In his capacity, Sgrizzi will oversee ad sales for both TBS and TNT, reporting directly to Speciale.

Joe Hogan, who has held key sales positions within Turner Broadcasting, will relocate from Chicago to New York and assume the newly created position of executive vice president, truTV, Cartoon & Adult Swim Ad Sales, reporting directly to Speciale. Most recently, Hogan served as senior vice president and national sales manager for Turner Entertainment, with oversight of truTV sales.

As part of the realignment, Lenny Daniels assumes oversight of Turner Sports Ad Sales to go along with his responsibilities for overseeing programming, scheduling, production, marketing, strategy, operations and other core business functions. Jon Diament, executive vice president of Turner Sports Ad Sales, will now report directly to Daniels.

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. Turner brands and businesses include CNN/U.S., CNN International, CNN.com and HLN; TBS, TNT, truTV and Turner Classic Movies; Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim; and Turner Sports.

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