CW taps former ABC executive Mark Pedowitz as president
The CW network has tapped a former senior ABC executive as its new president.
Mark Pedowitz, who spent five years as president of ABC Studios before becoming an independent producer, is joining CW — a joint venture between Time Warner Inc.’s Warner Bros. and CBS Corp. — just weeks before it announces a new fall schedule to advertisers.
Dawn Ostroff, who has served as president of entertainment for the broadcast network since it launched in 2006, is resigning next month to relocate from Los Angeles to New York.
CW, which was born out of the merger of CBS’ UPN and Time Warner’s WB networks, targets its programs primarily toward the 18-34 demographic, with a particular focus on women. Its most popular shows include “Gossip Girl,” about rich kids in New York City, and “The Vampire Diaries.” The network often gets heat from media watchdogs for its racy content and portrayal of sexually active teens.
Compared with other broadcast networks, CW has a relatively small audience. This season, it is averaging about 2 million viewers in prime time, which is flat with last season. Among adults 18-34, its prime audience has fallen 11% this season to 675,000. CW only programs 10 hours a week and does not offer any shows on the weekend.
CW often counters that its ratings don’t take into account the amount of viewing done online. The network is very aggressive when it comes to putting its content on digital platforms.
CW’s corporate bosses have had fewer concerns about the network’s target audience than about the fact that there is a certain sameness to many of its shows, which rely heavily on attractive casts leading glamorous lives.
In an interview, Pedowitz said he did not plan to radically overhaul CW’s programming strategy. He hinted that he might try to broaden its appeal slightly within its core demographic.
“I’m not going to upset the apple cart,” he said.
Even though Pedowitz is joining CW after it has ordered pilots for next season, he said he would be involved in the scheduling process and in the presentation of the new lineup to advertisers in New York in mid-May.
Known primarily as a business executive and a lawyer by training, Pedowitz was something of a surprise choice. However, the parent companies indicated that they wanted more of a deal maker in their next president, people familiar with the network’s operations said.
Although the there has been speculation about the long-term commitment of CBS and Time Warner to CW, Pedowitz said he would not have taken the job if he did not think the partners were in it for the long term.
Pedowitz is succeeding Ostroff, but he will also have broader responsibilities in CW’s business operations than she did. Ostroff oversaw entertainment operations while John Maatta, the network’s chief operating officer, handled business affairs, and both reported to a board composed of CBS and Warner Bros. executives. Now Maatta will report to Pedowitz.
