CMT TAPS INDUSTRY VETERAN ASHLEE MCDONALD AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, PARTNERSHIPS AND OPERATIONS FOR CMT RADIO
12/20/17
Notches 54 Consecutive Weeks of Ratings Growth, Marking Longest Active Streak Among Ad-supported Cable
NASHVILLE – December 20, 2017 – CMT has tapped industry veteran Ashlee McDonald to oversee CMT Radio and Programming Partnerships, where she will manage operations and business development for the network’s nationally-syndicated radio business. In her new role as Executive Producer/Content, Programming Partnerships and Operations, McDonald will spearhead the strategic vision of CMT’s broad-reaching radio business, oversee day-to-day operations, and lead the development and implementation of new business opportunities and partnerships across CMT’s radio business. McDonald will be based in Nashville and reports to Suzanne Norman, SVP of Programming and Business Operations, CMT.
“Working alongside host and co-producer Cody Alan and team, Ashlee will invigorate our programming and expand the reach of our radio business,” said Suzanne Norman. “With that rare ability to jump from creative to business, Ashlee is the perfect addition to drive our programming and strategy.”
With extensive talent relations and radio experience, McDonald brings a proven record of conceptualizing and executing large-scale, branded campaigns across multiple platforms. Most recently, she served as Senior Director of Brand Management at Warner Music Nashville where she was a lead product manager and primary label contact for a number of artists on the Warner roster. Additionally, she spent nearly six years on the national programming team at iHeartRadio as the lead producer of artist partnership initiatives, with a focus on multi-layer album, single and video launch campaigns, branded original content, tour promotions, fan activations and live event marketing.
McDonald joins CMT at a time of unprecedented growth across all platforms, including CMT Radio’s more than 200 affiliates across the country. CMT After MidNite with Cody Alan and CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan combine to reach over 3.7 million listeners monthly. The network is closing out 2017 with an impressive milestone of 54 straight weeks of growth, which is the longest active growth streak among all ad-supported cable channels. This quarter alone, CMT is generating the highest year-over-year gain of any Top 50 ad-supported entertainment cable channel in Women 18-49. Furthermore, CMT finished the 2017 Fiscal Year up +12% among Adults 18-49 and up +13% among Women 18-49 from the prior year and earned its highest-rated year since 2014.* CMT’s radio programs originate from the network’s Nashville studio, with ad sales representation and radio distribution by Premiere Networks.
ABOUT CMTCMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT App, CMT.com) and social (CMT on Facebook, CMT on Instagram and CMT on Twitter). CMT is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB). For more information, please visit CMT Press.
*L+SD Competitive Growth Streak as of December Week 2, 2016 based on Adult 18-49 coverage ratings, Weekly Total Day year-over-year growth among ad-supported cable networks. CMT Fiscal Year: October-September.
