PEOPLE : Hogan Leaves Turner for Post at Whittle

Gerry F. Hogan, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, has been named vice chairman of Whittle Communications, the Knoxville, Tenn.-based media company headed by Christopher Whittle.

In the newly created position, Hogan will become the third vice chairman of the company and will oversee Whittle Private Media, Hispanic Media, American Style magazine, Whittle Regional and Whittle International.

Hogan joins a growing list of senior Turner executives who have left the company over the past year, including Turner executive Farrell Reynolds, who moved to Whittle as head of its education division. At Turner, Hogan oversaw the highly successful launch of Turner Network Television, the company’s fourth cable network, and SuperStation TBS.

A well-liked and handsome salesman who was close to Chairman Ted Turner, Hogan, 44, was one of the “good old boys” who had been with Turner since 1971 when the company consisted of little more than a single, independent TV station in Atlanta. He recently emerged victorious from an internal power struggle and was considered by many insiders to be Turner’s heir apparent.

“By temperament I’m more of a builder than a manager,” Hogan told The Times about his reasons for going to Whittle. “And lately I’ve spent more time managing our mature businesses we have here and less time on start-ups and development.” He said he was also attracted to “Whittle’s vision of where he sees media going in the next 10 years.”

The private company, with revenue topping $230 million as of fiscal year ended June 30, is trying to broaden the use of “private media,” which targets advertising to a narrow audience.

Hogan, who maintained there was no blow up with management, said Turner “was pretty disappointed. . .bad” about his leaving. Hogan made $500,000 last year plus another $113,000 bonus while his 175,000 to 200,000 shares of Turner stock are valued at $2.2 million to $2.6 million. Hogan would not comment about his new salary, other than to note: “I’ve rarely gone down.”

Like other Turner executives, Hogan did not have a contract, but he said he currently is negotiating a multi-year one with Whittle.