The networks said that under the leadership of Jo Ann Ross (pictured), CBS' president of network sales, The CW and CBS sales teams will coordinate and share resources in research and other areas to develop strategies that bring value to advertising.
While CW has its own research team, it is not as broad in its mandate as the one at CBS, where David Poltrack orchestrates deeper looks at viewership as well as new technologies and data resources that can supply new kinds of information about TV audience.
Rob Tuck, executive vice president of sales for The CW, will continue to report to Mark Pedowitz, the network’s president, with added direction from Jo Ann Ross, CBS’ president of sales.
The alliance could certainly open the door for the two networks to offer broader packages for advertisers. CBS is the nation’s most-watched TV network, but its audience skews older than the CW’s, where a new spate of programs with science-fiction and super-hero themes tends to find more consumption among a younger base.
“The CW is part of the CBS family, so we can seamlessly collaborate and coordinate to maximize value for its clients,” Ross said in a statement. “Rob and his team are well-respected throughout the industry, and we’re looking forward to working with them as we head into this year’s upfront marketplace.”
“For years, Rob and The CW sales team have forged incredible relationships with both the advertising community and the sales group at our parent company, CBS, and now, through this strategic alliance, those relationships are sure to get stronger,” said Pedowitz. “We look forward to utilizing CBS’ extensive resources to create even greater value for The CW’s clients and advertising partners.”
