Kevin Reilly has signed a new four-year deal with WarnerMedia that will keep him at the company through 2022 and expand his oversight of its basic cable networks.
Reilly will now oversee the TruTV cabler in addition to running TNT and TBS, and serving as chief content officer of direct-to-consumer for WarnerMedia. Chris Linn, who had been president of TruTV since 2013, has left the company amid the management shift. Time Warner’s former Turner basic cable division has been dismantled as part of the broader management shakeup at Turner and the two other TW units AT&T acquired nearly a year ago, HBO and Warner Bros.
“Kevin has a long-standing reputation as an industry leader and his accomplishments throughout his career — and particularly at this company — are remarkable,” said WarnerMedia Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt, who joined the company in March.
Reilly “will continue to head up our important cable networks as well as oversee the robust content strategy for our new direct-to-consumer streaming service.” Greenblatt added his thanks to Linn for “his leadership and dedication to re-branding and building truTV over the last several years.”
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WarnerMedia is preparing for the launch of a streaming platform that will blend sponsorship and ad-free options, AT&T chief Randall Stephenson told Wall Streeters earlier this week. AT&T has said the venture will launch in beta mode by year’s end and for consumers by early 2020.
Reilly joined Turner as head of TNT and TBS in 2014. He was promoted to head of content for WarnerMedia. His long run as a top TV programming executive includes stints as president of entertainment at both Fox and NBC. He also headed programming for FX from 2000-2003, the era when Fox’s entertainment basic cabler transformed into a premium TV player with “The Shield,” “Nip/Tuck” and other shows.
