CBS News & Stations announced on Tuesday new responsibilities for two of its top streaming and digital news executives: Sahand Sepehrnia and Jamie Reysen.
Sepehrnia is being promoted to evp of digital content strategy and business for CBS News, Stations, Entertainment and Sports, reporting to CBS Digital chief Jeff Gerttula.
Sepehrnia will move into this newly created role across the entire CBS portfolio, working closely with the executives of News, Stations, CBS Media Ventures, Sports, and all other studio and division heads. In a note to staff, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon states that Sepehrnia will lead content strategy and development, and business operations across all streaming platforms, and “will also oversee the incubation and development of new streaming channels, leveraging IP across the CBS portfolio.”
Sepehrnia will continue to oversee streaming for CBS Stations, working closely with CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell, in addition to his new responsibilities.
Jamie Reysen will now serve as CBS News & Stations svp of digital editorial, growth and engagement. In this role, she’ll oversee a new unified digital editorial operation that spans local and national news. Reysen will report to CBS News president Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, as well as to Jennifer Mitchell. She’ll also work closely with Sepehrnia to transition all digital news desks into one centralized digital news operation supporting all CBS News and Stations websites and apps.
“This new structure will create a single powerhouse operation that will take advantage of our local stations’ market strengths and combine them with our world-class national team,” McMahon added. “There is no doubt that Jamie’s strong strategic leadership of the growth and engagement of our digital products will continue to optimize our web publishing business in new ways.”
Jamie Reysen
Here’s McMahon’s full note to CBS News & Stations staff, obtained by TVNewser:
Hello everyone.
As we begin the new year, I’m thrilled to kick off 2024 with some good news about our Streaming and Digital future and some organizational changes we are making.
Today, we’re announcing expanded responsibilities for Sahand Sepehrnia and Jamie Reysen, both of whom have been at the forefront of our digital transformation and will become even more critical in leading our future ambitions.
Sahand is assuming a larger role and is being promoted to Executive Vice President of Digital Content Strategy and Business for CBS News, Stations, Entertainment and Sports, reporting to Jeff Gerttula, who oversees Digital for all of CBS. Sahand, who has been critical in driving significant growth on streaming and digital at CBS Stations, will move into this newly created role across the entire CBS portfolio, working closely with the executives of News, Stations, CMV, Sports, and all other studio and division heads. In his new position, Sahand will lead content strategy and development, and business operations across all streaming platforms, continuing his strategic focus on growing streaming audiences and maximizing revenue. Sahand will also oversee the incubation and development of new streaming channels, leveraging IP across the CBS portfolio.
Sahand will continue to oversee streaming for CBS Stations, working closely with Jennifer Mitchell, President of CBS Stations, in addition to his new responsibilities. We could not be more proud of what Sahand has accomplished at Stations and look forward to him extending his contributions across our organization. Sahand’s bio is HERE.
Jamie is also expanding her role and will now serve as SVP Digital Editorial, Growth & Engagement for CBS News & Stations, overseeing a new unified digital editorial operation that spans local and national. Jamie will report to Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, President of CBS News, as well as Jennifer Mitchell. She will also work closely with Sahand to transition all digital news desks into one centralized digital news operation supporting all CBS News and Stations websites and apps. This new structure will create a single powerhouse operation that will take advantage of our local stations’ market strengths and combine them with our world-class national team. There is no doubt that Jamie’s strong strategic leadership of the growth and engagement of our digital products will continue to optimize our web publishing business in new ways. Jamie’s bio is HERE.
Please join me in congratulating Sahand and Jamie on their new roles.
Wendy