Darren Davis Named President of Networks Group for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment
NEW YORK, NY – January 28, 2014 – Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, the leading media company in America with a greater reach in the U.S. than any other radio or television outlet, today announced it has created a new unified Networks group to take full advantage of Clear Channel’s power, reach and scale to deliver more compelling content opportunities to its partners, affiliates, advertisers and consumers, as well as providing a unique platform to its content partners and talent. Darren Davis will lead this effort as President, Clear Channel Networks Group.
Through its unmatched collection of assets and broad range of subsidiaries, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment delivers music, news, weather, traffic, talk, sports and other popular content to diverse and targeted audiences across multiple platforms. In his new role, Davis will oversee and ensure the success and close integration of the networks -- Premiere Networks, Total Traffic and Weather Network, the 24/7 News Network and the iHeartRadio Network. This new position underlines Clear Channel’s continued commitment to further expanding and transforming its business, introducing innovative new products, moving onto exciting new platforms and delivering even more unique opportunities and content to its audiences and its talent.
“This new unified Networks group will enable us to better capitalize on our powerful relationships, creative talent and unparalleled capabilities across all platforms and maximize our infrastructure in an entirely new way to take these networks to a higher level, as well as develop new ones,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO for Clear Channel. “Darren is an innovative and effective leader of teams and has been a success at every role he has played at this company from the beginning as a programmer through his role as EVP and GM for the National Programming Platforms (NPP) group with Tom Poleman. His extensive and diverse experience makes him the perfect candidate for this important new leadership role.”
“One of our biggest priorities is to build out the full potential of our national platforms and networks and explore new opportunities to bring the most compelling content and the biggest advertiser offerings to the national marketplace,” said Davis. “We have an amazing team in place and I look forward to the challenge of going beyond what we’ve ever done and continuing to work closely with Tom Poleman and the NPP group, Brian Lakamp and the Digital group and Tim Castelli and National Sales, Marketing and Partnerships group as well as all of our affiliates.”
In his expanded role, Davis will oversee the company’s key Network divisions, including:
Premiere Networks, which is the number one audio content provider in the country syndicating 90 radio programs and services to more than 5,000 radio affiliates. Julie Talbott will become President of Premiere Networks, reporting into Davis, and will continue to oversee and maintain key affiliate relationships at Premiere Networks in addition to Total Traffic and Weather Network and iHeartRadio.
Total Traffic and Weather Network, which reaches more than 200 million monthly listeners across more than 200 markets. Led by Gary Larkin, EVP of Sales and Kevin Loftus, SVP of Operations, the division now also includes weather reports and localized weather information such as surf and heat index reports to its portfolio as well as new sponsorship opportunities. With a monthly reach of 190 P12+ and over 3,000 radio and 200 television affiliates plus automotive, navigation, internet, mobile and government partners, Total Traffic and Weather Network operates the largest private data gathering network in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
24/7 News Network, led by Chris Berry, focused on around the clock, 365 days a year news operation, providing CCM+E stations and existing TT+WN affiliates with news broadcasts and audio, along with text and digital news products. In addition 24/7 News Network has been expanding its reach into the iHeartRadio Network.
The iHeartRadio Network, led by recently promoted Chris Williams -- SVP of Programming, which focuses on all the digital music programming, curation, affiliate relations and marketing strategies for Clear Channel’s industry-leading digital service – iHeartRadio with the support of Clear Channel Digital. The iHeartRadio app, which reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital service in Internet history, is one of the most successful digital services with more than 300 million app downloads.
All the Networks will continue to work closely with the National Programming Platforms group and the Clear Channel National Sales, Marketing and Partnerships group will continue to handle advertising sales for Premiere Networks within the strategy set by Premiere Management. Davis has had a long standing, very successful career within Clear Channel starting at WASH-FM in Washington, D.C. in 1992 as an intern working his way up to eventually becoming the station’s program director and overnight on-air host. He has since served as a Regional Vice President of Programming for Clear Channel Detroit and Chicago and worked his way up through the ranks as Senior Vice President of Programming and to his previous role as Executive Vice President and General Manager of National Programming Platforms.