CNN’s Jeff Zucker is expected to add oversight of Turner Sports to his portfolio following the exit of Turner president David Levy.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the imminent restructuring at WarnerMedia will see Zucker take on oversight of much of the company’s live programming efforts, covering both the cable news network and Turner’s sports broadcasts.
News of his new role comes amid an ongoing shakeup of WarnerMedia executives as the company moves to streamline its cable network operations under the guidance of chief executive John Stankey. Both Levy and HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler announced plans to depart this week, just days after reports that former NBC president Bob Greenblatt was in talks with the WarnerMedia CEO for a position overseeing a more integrated HBO and Turner.
WarnerMedia did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Levy formally announced his departure in a memo to staff on Friday.
“After much consideration and more than 32 years at Turner, the past six years as the President of this great company, I have decided the time is right to leave my role,” Levy wrote in an internal memo announcing his exit, highlighting Turner’s portfolio of sports broadcasts as a particular point of pride from his 32-year tenure at the company.
During his tenure, Levy was most heavily involved with the company’s sports rights deals. Before his promotion to president, he oversaw ad sales, distribution and sports for Turner. Levy was instrumental in negotiating key media rights deals for Turner, most notably with the NBA (for TNT) and MLB (for TBS).
Levy also helped orchestrate Turner’s partnership with CBS Sports to broadcast the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, making TBS the first cable network to air the Men’s Basketball Final Four and National Championship Game.
Zucker took the helm as CNN president in 2013 after first rising through the ranks at NBCUniversal. He currently oversees all of the company’s businesses, including CNN, CNN International, HLN and all digital properties.