-
WMN Launches New Radio & Streaming Team, Names Kristen Williams SVP
September 22, 2016 at 10:06 AM (PT)
What do you think? Add your comment below. -
WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE (WMN) has promoted KRISTEN WILLIAMS to SVP of its newly created Radio & Streaming team, which will be part of a new future-facing structure for WMN's Marketing Department as part of an expansion of the Brand Management team. The Radio & Streaming team will build artists' careers by working with partners across radio, interactive radio, ad-supported streaming, and subscription streaming. Additionally, CHRIS PALMER has been elevated to VP/Radio & Streaming, overseeing a team of Radio & Streaming Dirs./National and Managers; CHAD SCHULTZ has been promoted to the newly-created position of VP/Original Content.
This team will develop and place original content from WMN's complete roster of artists, including exclusive interviews, backstage access, and live footage. "No regionals [were] effected," WILLIAMS told ALL ACCESS. "The W.A.R., WEA, and WMN teams stay intact, working the same roster of artists." However, the newly-restructured team does see WMN SVP/Promotion KEVIN HERRING and WEA VP/Promotion JORDAN PETTIT departing; reach HERRING here and PETTIT here. Also leaving are WEA Coord./Promotion BLAKE NIXON, Dir./A&R REBEKAH GORDON, and Sr. Dir./Publicity NIKKI HERCEG. Reach NIXON, GORDON, and HERCEG here, here, and here, respectively.
"Our commitment to artist development means we never stop improving our approach and developing our team," said WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE Chairman/CEO JOHN "ESPO" ESPOSITO. "We want to help our artists create change, not merely embrace it. These moves anticipate the lasting importance of radio and the ongoing ascent of streaming, while acknowledging there's no need for a separate 'digital' team anymore, as technology is core to everything we do for our artists. We are positioning ourselves for new opportunities as the lines between marketing and commerce, as well as radio and streaming, continue to blur."
Additionally, VP/Brand Management LISA RAY will oversee an expanded department encompassing Digital. Joining the staff will be Sr. Dir./Brand Management ASHLEE MCDONALD, Dir./Interactive Marketing BROOKE HARDESTY, and Mgr./Interactive Marketing JEREMY GOLD. Both RAY and WILLIAMS will report to WMN Chief Marketing Officer PETER STRICKLAND. Additionally, WEA President MATT SIGNORE is slated to join WMN as COO beginning in JANUARY 2017; WMN VP/Revenue BEN KLINE will report to SIGNORE.