Turner Broadcasting System Inc. research guru Bob Sieber announced that he
will retire at year's end.
The 23-year TBSI veteran has spent the past eight months as senior vice
president of audience and marketing research for CNN News Group.
Sieber -- who oversaw research and audience development for all of the TBSI
news and entertainment networks over the course of his career -- will depart to
spend more time with his family and pursue consulting opportunities.
Under Sieber, TBSI initiated cable-television-audience measurement, sales and
programming research, beginning with the development of the first Nielsen Media
Research national metered rating reports for TBS Superstation in 1981.
He also worked closely with Nielsen to design its cable-research methodology
and reporting systems, and he helped to develop the first overnight ratings for
basic cable.
Sieber joined TBSI in 1978 as director of marketing for WTCG, which became
TBS Superstation.
He served as vice president of research for TBSI from 1981 through 1992; vice
president of audience development for Turner Entertainment Networks from 1992
through 1995; and vice president of audience development for TBSI from 1995
through 2001.
