Television
October 8, 2001
In A Realignment Of The Executive Ranks, Rick Meril Promoted To SVP, Sales, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution; Bill Marcus Promoted To SVP, Sales, Telepictures Distribution
(October 8, 2001 - Burbank, CA) - Rick Meril and Bill Marcus have been named Senior Vice President, Sales for Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution and Telepictures Distribution, respectively, in a reorganization of the executive ranks of Warner Bros.’ two television syndication arms. Marcus and Meril, who previously served as Senior Vice President/General Sales Manager of their respective sales divisions reporting to Dan Greenblatt (who retired last month from his post as Executive Vice President, Sales of both divisions), will now report directly to Dick Robertson, President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, who announced their promotions today.
Meril and Marcus will be responsible for the distribution sales activities for first-run and off-network properties for their divisions, as well as overseeing the sales and administration staffs and working with the Company’s research and marketing groups.
“Rick and Billy are terrific executives and I couldn’t be more pleased to have them lead our sales teams,” said Robertson. “As our business continues to change and evolve, our challenges become even greater - so to say that these guys have their work cut out for them would be an understatement.”
Meril joined WBDTD in 1999 after spending 16 years at Cox Broadcasting, most recently as Executive Vice President, General Sales Manager, Television Syndication for Cox’s Rysher Television. Before that, he served as Vice President/General Sales Manager, Television Syndication at Cox’s Television Program Enterprises, having joined that division as National Television Barter Sales Account Executive. He initially joined Cox as a National Spot Sales Television Account Executive in their TeleRep division. Before Cox, Meril served as a Local Sales Manager for WFAA-TV/Belo Broadcasting and a Spot Television Account Executive for Petry Television. Meril began his career in media sales at WINS Radio/Westinghouse Broadcasting as a Radio Sales Account Executive.
Marcus returned to traditional television sales last year as Senior Vice President/General Sales Manager, Telepictures Distribution, following a brief stint as head of distribution for Fusient, a content incubator for Internet sites. Prior to that, he served for a year as Senior Vice President, Miramax, responsible for the sales and distribution of feature films to selected parts of Europe, Latin America and Asia. Before that, Marcus was Vice President, Eastern Sales, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution for three years, where he was involved with the sales of such high-profile programming as “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” and the off-net run of “Friends.” Prior to that, he served as Division Manager, Domestic Syndication at Twentieth Television and held Account Executive posts at both Viacom and Qintex.
WBDTD’s current first-run syndicated programs include “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “Jenny Jones,” “Extra,” “The People’s Court” and “Judge Mathis.” The division’s off-network activities include the syndication sale of NBC’s “Will & Grace” for fall 2002, as well as “Suddenly Susan,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “The Wayans Bros.,” “The Parent ’Hood,” “In the House” and the first and second cycles of the top-rated hit “Friends.”
Telepictures Distribution offers the new series “elimiDATE,” as well as the late-night sensations “Change of Heart” and “Street Smarts.” The division also offers such off-network series as “The West Wing” (weekend broadcast window), “Mad TV,” “ER” (weekend broadcast window), “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Family Matters,” “Full House,” “Mama’s Family” and “This Old House,” as well as numerous major movie packages. # # #