ESPN Announces Several Promotions in Content Areas

Burke Magnus, Rosalyn Durant and Tina Thornton have been promoted in ESPN’s programming and production division and, Connor Schell, John Dahl and Libby Geist on the original content team.

ESPNMagnus and Thornton report to ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Production John Wildhack and Durant reports to Magnus.  Schell reports to Marie Donoghue Executive Vice President, Global Business Strategy and Original Content and Dahl and Geist report to Schell.

“Burke, Roz and Tina are terrific leaders with successful track records,” Wildhack said.  “They are widely respected inside and outside ESPN not only for their exceptional abilities and relationships, but also for their many contributions in growing our business.”

Donoghue added:  “Connor’s considerable contribution to making 30 for 30 the preeminent collection of sports documentaries has clearly demonstrated a keen eye for impactful storytelling.  The creative talents of Libby, John and Connor will continue to ensure we keep pushing boundaries with our original content.”

Programming and Production
Burke Magnus is promoted from Senior Vice President, Programming Acquisitions to Executive Vice President, Programming & Scheduling.  In addition to his current acquisition responsibilities, the content strategy and scheduling functions will report now to Magnus.

Rosalyn Durant, Vice President, College Sports Programming is promoted to Senior Vice President, College Networks and will move to Charlotte to oversee the SEC and Longhorn Networks & ESPNU.  She and Justin Connolly, recently promoted to oversee Disney and ESPN Media Networks domestic affiliate sales and marketing team, will work together on transitioning responsibility for the SEC and Longhorn Networks.

Tina Thornton last year became Vice President, Production and Multimedia Sponsorship Integration and Management Operations and launched ESPN’s Multimedia Sponsorship Integration unit. She will continue to oversee that group, with an added focus on digital opportunities as Senior Vice President, Production and Multimedia Sponsorship Integration and Management Operations.

Several content functions will be realigned under new leadership.  Senior Vice President,SportsCenter and News Rob King will take on two new responsibilities in his area:
Outside the Lines will be joined with ESPN’s other television journalism efforts under Craig Bengtson, Vice President and Managing Editor, News and Reporting.
-The division’s growing social media efforts will now report into Senior Coordinating Producer Glenn Jacobs.

Original Content
Connor Schell, who oversees all development and production for ESPN Films and ESPN’s digital storytelling franchises,  is promoted to Senior Vice President, Executive Producer ESPN Films and Original Content from Vice President. Schell also oversees the video extensions of FiveThirtyEight and Grantland and The ESPYS.  He is Executive Producer and co-creator of 30 for 30.

ESPN’s content development initiatives will move under Donoghue and Schell, in collaboration with Burke Magnus and the programming department.

Dahl has been promoted to Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Films and Original Content.  He has been crucial to the success of 30 for 30 and ESPN Films from the beginning, serving as an Executive Producer and overseeing production on all ESPN Films documentaries.   Throughout his career with ESPN, Dahl has been focused on documentary work and has won three Peabody Awards and eight Emmys.  In his new role, he will now oversee all aspects of 30 for 30 as well as the SEC Storied series.

Libby Geist is being promoted to Vice President, ESPN Films and Original Projects. Geist’s creative contributions to ESPN Films are many, highlighted by leading development for 30 For 30 and spearheading our Nine for IX series. She also manages Becoming, a documentary series on Disney XD. Geist will oversee new project development and production for series and specials as well as take on responsibility for our short film initiatives.

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