CBS has named Jonathan Sarrow SVP of television network distribution to
help negotiate retrans and other carriage fee deals for CBS content.
Sarrow had been VP of distribution, national accounts, for Fox, and before that VP, business affairs.
It
is a newly created position under Ray Hopkins, president of network
distribution, who was hired after CBS chief retrans negotiator MartyFranks,
announced he was retiring Sept. 30 after doing double duty as retrans
and public policy guru, based in New York and Washington.
Sarrow
will be based in New York. his resume also includes director,
international distribution, for New Line Cinema and syndication
distribution for New World Television.
Under
the leadership of CBS President Leslie Moonves, the company has been
aggressive in its pursuit of higher retrans fees for what it, and cable
viewership stats, suggest is high-value content.
"Carriage
fees are an increasingly important part of CBS's growth strategy," said
Hopkins in announcing the hire. "[A]s we maximize the value of our
content, it's important we have a veteran like Jonathan helping
negotiate these deals. I look forward to working with him in this role."
