The Center for Communication will honor Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer of U.S. advertising sales at Paramount, with its Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication. The award will be presented Wednesday, November 2 at 583 Park Avenue in New York.
The award, given out annually, is named for Center for Communication founder, and former CBS president, Dr. Frank Stanton.
“Jo Ann has had a groundbreaking career, and continues to reach extraordinary heights and set the bar for success in her field,” said Center for Communication Chairman David J. Barrett. “We are thrilled to honor such a talented and successful executive who shares our passion to open doors in the media industry for young people who have been traditionally under-represented.”
Ross leads advertising sales for networks that include CBS, BET, Comedy Central, CMT, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network and Smithsonian, along with Paramount Plus.
Ross is also a champion of Paramount’s “Content for Change” initiative, which is designed to combat racism, bias and stereotypes on and off screen.
Ross was promoted to her current role in late 2019 following the merger of CBS and Viacom. Prior to that, she was the CBS president and chief advertising revenue officer.
Ross is part of the B+C Hall of Fame.
“I am humbled to be recognized by the Center for Communication and honored to be in the company of leaders who are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion across our industry,” said Ross. “Mentoring and developing the next generation of leaders is very close to my heart, and I look forward to a future where everyone has the opportunity to drive change and make an impact.”
The Center for Communication educates and inspires students seeking careers in media, and aims to increase diversity throughout the industry. ■
