Key Paramount advertising executive leaving
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Paramount Global’s chairman of advertising sales division is departing the company at the end of April 2024, Variety was first to report.
Jo Ann Ross, who was the first woman to head up a broadcast TV network’s advertising sales unit, had already reduced her role at Paramount. She gave up responsibility for day-to-day operations in 2022, with John Halley being named president of ad sales and taking over many of Ross’ duties.
Ross, however, was still kept on board in an advisory position with the title of chairman, with Paramount keen to continue to leverage her relationships with major advertisers, media agencies and marketing firms.
Ross has been with CBS since 1992, when she was hired as vice president of Olympics ad sales when the network had a rights deal with the IOC for the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics.
She continued her career at CBS and, eventually, Paramount, and is credited with building one of the strongest ad sales teams in the industry.
Her team has been credited with creating the glassed-in green room on “CBS This Morning” that was a sponsored part of the studio. She also notably worked out a deal for Philips Electronics to sponsor an edition of “60 Minutes” that had no national advertising breaks as well as creating brand placement opportunities for Microsoft and Toyota in sci-fi dram “Under the Dome.” The team also launched sponsored segments on “The Late Show.”
Ross’ departure comes at a potentially pivotal time. Paramounts, facing significant debt, is currently in talks with Skydance Media about a potential acquisition. Linear broadcast and cable TV audiences are shrinking, meaning there are fewer eyeballs for ads, which has forced most networks, including CBS-owned ones, to get more creative when selling ads.
Streaming advertising, especially on FAST offerings or ad-subsidized tiers, is heating up, but the segment is still facing challenges.
Ross is also leaving after Linda Rene left her role as head of primetime ad sales for CBS. Rene was a longtime core member of Ross’ team. John Bogusz, another part of Ross’ team who was in charge of sports advertising, recently announced his retirement.
These departures mean the company is left without experienced executives in advertising division. Many of these leaders likely fostered relationships within the advertising industry.
On the other hand, the changes could be setting up the stage for the next generation of advertising leadership to take over as advertising strategies shift. A team able to implement digital-first focus as well as innovative new ad formats and ideas could be invaluable to any broadcast company who relies on ad sales for revenue, and it remains to be seen if fresh talent could breathe life into advertising sales.
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tags
Advertising, Jo Ann Ross, John Bogusz, Linda Rene, Paramount Global
categories
Advertising, Broadcast Business News, Broadcast Industry News