Ryan Sharkey was been named senior VP of programming and content strategy at The CW.
Formerly senior VP of content acquisitions at NBCUniversal, he will be based in New York and will spearhead growth at the network, The CW said, including its AVOD platform and FAST channel extensions.
Sharkey “will lead the scheduling and acquisitions teams to optimize programming across all platforms including identifying co-productions and innovative strategies to create compelling content offerings,” according to the network.
Brad Schwartz, president of entertainment, The CW, said: “As The CW explores new content that will resonate with viewers on both our linear and streaming channels, Ryan is the ideal candidate to lead our programming team. With Ryan’s vast experience in all areas of network scheduling and acquisitions, we’re confident he will set The CW up for immeasurable success.”
Sharkey joined NBCUniversal in 2002. He started there as a financial analyst focused on budgets for CNBC, then USA Network and Syfy.
“The CW is going through an exciting transformation, and I’m thrilled to join the team at this opportune time to grow the network and its digital platforms into a profitable destination for premier programming,” Sharkey said. “I look forward to leveraging my long-standing industry partnerships, financial background and creative dealmaking skills to enhance the intense work Brad and his team have put into this transition. Brad is an energizing creative force, and I can’t wait to partner with him.”
