Discovery Communications Expands Digital Advertising Sales Group With Key New Hires
August 11, 2008
(New York, NY) Discovery Communications today announced that Walt Cheruk has been appointed Senior Vice President, Client Solutions, Digital Ad Sales and that Karen Schmeichel Johnson has been named Vice President, Digital Ad Sales, Midwest and Western regions. The appointments were made by Kathy Kayse, Executive Vice President, Digital Ad Sales, to whom they will report.
Cheruk, based at Discovery's ad sales headquarters in New York, will manage the creative development and outlook for digital ad sales offerings across all of Discovery’s digital properties, including channel websites and acquired sites HowStuffWorks.com, Treehugger.com and Petfinder.com. He will also provide digital strategy and guidance to national ad sales, and will interface with marketing and other key corporate business units.
To further bolster the digital ad sales group regionally, Johnson, based in Discovery's Chicago office, will develop and manage Discovery's digital ad sales business across the Midwest and Western regions through the use of Discovery’s group of multi-platform assets. She will also be responsible for the strategic development of digital ad sales offerings and the creation of strategic plans.
“Walt and Karen will further our digital ad sales operation and strengthen our presence nationally,” said Kayse. “With Walt in New York and Karen in Chicago, we can heighten interaction with our clients and create broader solutions for their digital marketing needs.”
A 20-year industry veteran, Cheruk joins Discovery from Digitas/Modem Media, where he supervised all operations of the client-based Media services group. Before that he served as VP, Sales and Marketing for National Geographic Society, and was previously VP, Market Development and Ad Strategies, Women.com. He began his career as an Assistant Media Planner at Backer Spielvogel Bates, and subsequently held increasingly senior media planning posts at Ally & Gargano, North Castle Partners and Modem Media.
Bringing more than 25 years of industry experience to Discovery, Johnson was most recently at AOL, where she strengthened revenue growth, staffing, customer focus and accountability. Before that, she served as Regional Sales Manager, CNET Networks, Games & Entertainment Group, and was previously with Viacom, Inc. as Vice President, Central Region. She began her career as a Research Analyst and Account Manager at MTV Networks, Inc. and subsequently held sales positions at Money magazine, Comedy Central and Primedia, Inc.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the world’s number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Planet Green, Investigation Discovery and HD Theater, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks . Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information, please visit www.DiscoveryCommunications.com.