KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – (FEBRUARY 5, 2008) – As Scripps Networks continues to focus on growing its established lifestyle brands while broadening the reach of its digital networks and Interactive properties, Lynne Costantini has been named the new executive vice president, affiliate sales and marketing. Scripps Networks, the leading developer of lifestyle media for television, the Internet and other emerging platforms, is the fastest growing division of The E.W. Scripps Company, posting revenues of more than $1.2 billion in 2007.
Costantini joins Scripps Networks from Time Warner Cable, the second largest cable operator in the U.S., where over the last decade she has risen to the position of senior vice president and chief business affairs officer. In that role, Costantini set the strategy for Time Warner's technology partnerships, commercial negotiations and other enterprise-wide initiatives. Previously serving as senior vice president for programming, Costantini was responsible for development and direction of Time Warner's content strategy as well as negotiating multiplatform content deals. Costantini, who earned her bachelor's degree in economics from Manhattanville College before getting a law degree from New York Law School, began her career in the mid-1980s in corporate law. She will assume her new responsibilities at Scripps Networks by the first of April.
"Few individuals possess the keen insights into today's multiplatform environment combined with the broad leadership skills that Lynne has honed through nearly 20 years in business and media," says John Lansing, president of Scripps Networks. "She is one of the most respected executives in media. We are looking forward to the perspective and leadership she will bring to our affiliate group and to having her collaboration with our networks and Interactive group to help drive new growth."
Headquartered in Knoxville, Scripps Networks is comprised of the popular lifestyle television brands HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living Network and country music network Great American Country (GAC). Scripps is the leading developer of lifestyle-oriented content for television and the Internet, where on-air programming is complemented with an array of broadband video, social media areas and e-commerce components on companion Web sites. In addition, Scripps Networks has launched HGTV and Food Network in high definition and is aggressively developing its emerging media platforms for broadband and video on demand. Scripps Networks also acquired popular recipe Web site Recipezaar.com and Incando Corp. in order to deepen its user-generated content capabilities.
"Scripps Networks is a forward-thinking company with some of the strongest consumer brands in media," says Costantini, who was selected as one of "The Top 50 Most Influential Women in Cable" by Cable World and one of 13 "Wonder Women" in the cable industry by Multichannel News. "It continues to be a culture that innovates, fueled by a talented group of people at every level of the organization. The potential to grow these networks and expand the reach of the brands in today's multiplatform environment is tremendous."
Scripps Networks employs close to 1,500 people, with outside offices in New York, Atlanta, Nashville, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In her new role, Costantini will serve on the Scripps Networks Executive Committee and will join the company's Diversity Committee. She also is a board director and executive committee member for Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT).
Scripps Networks is owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), a diverse and growing media enterprise with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, interactive media, and licensing and syndication in addition to the TV networks. Based in Cincinnati, The E.W. Scripps Company (www.scripps.com) operates daily and community newspapers in 16 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; Scripps Interactive Media, including leading online search and comparison shopping services, Shopzilla and uSwitch; and United Media, a leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics.