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Business

Weather Channel gets new show, new CEO

By Jeffry Scott
July 21, 2009

The Weather Channel got a new show and a new chief executive Monday.

Longtime “Today” show weatherman Al Roker debuted on the Atlanta-based cable network at 6 a.m. Monday, anchoring a new daily show, “Wake Up With Al,” from a New York studio.

Separately, the network ended a months-long search for a new president and CEO, announcing it has hired former America Online executive Michael J. Kelly, who was once in charge of AOL’s marketing and advertising. He’ll replace interim president and CEO Lisa Gersh, starting Aug. 10.

The company’s search for a new CEO began in February with the departure of president and CEO Debora Wilson. It was reported in the spring that the Weather Channel was talking to Bill Bolster, former chairman and CEO of CNBC and CNBC International, but no hiring resulted.

The Roker show and Kelly announcement are the latest highly visible changes at the network since its sale last year by Norfolk, Va., based Landmark Communications to NBC Universal and a pair of private-equity firms for a reported $3.5 billion.

This spring the channel began changing its format under a new head of programming, and it has pushed to expand online -- an area to which Kelly brings considerable experience as former head of AOL marketing.

“The Weather Channel Companies is a unique organization; it is the premier weather information destination on every platform -- TV, Web, Mobile and business to business,” Kelly said in a prepared statement.

“This is a remarkable and exciting opportunity to be part of a powerful media brand which delivers consumers the information they want where and when they want it while offering advertisers cutting edge cross-platform solutions. This multi-platform success will fuel our growth.”

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Jeffry Scott
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