Television broadcast group Tegna has appointed Melinda Witmer, a former executive at Time Warner Cable, to its board of directors, effective immediately.
Witmer joined Time Warner Cable (TWC) in 2001 and served as head of content, chief operating officer for Time Warner Cable Networks and executive vice president and chief video officer. Witmer was responsible for all content acquisition, development and distribution and oversaw content offerings across platforms. Before TWC, Witmer was vice president and senior counsel at HBO.
“We are thrilled to have someone with Melinda’s expertise and perspective join TEGNA’s Board,” said Tegna Chairman Marge Magner in a statement. “She knows the industry well and will enhance our deliberations as we work to anticipate industry trends, capitalize on market opportunities and grow our company.”
“Melinda has deep industry knowledge about changing consumer trends, as well as the video ecosystem, and is a highly accomplished executive. She will be an invaluable asset to our Board,” said Dave Lougee, president and CEO of Tegna, in a statement.
With Witmer’s appointment, Tegna now has 10 board members. Witmer joins former HBO veteran Henry McGee on the board.
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The hiring of another TV business veteran for its board comes after Tegna recently reported 26% growth in subscription revenues, which Lougee said will continue to rise as virtual MVPDs grow.
“We expect to see more from this ecosystem. The move to OTT, from a broadcast perspective, is good for both of us because we now have far more competitors in the marketplace for our channels,” said Lougee, adding that networks together with local broadcasters will provide must-have channels for consumers.