CW Scheduling Veteran Kevin Levy Latest to Exit Nexstar-Controlled Network
The Nexstar-ization of The CW is nearly complete.
Kevin Levy, the exec vp program planning, scheduling and acquisitions, will leave the broadcast network on Aug. 1. Levy had been with The CW since it was launched in 2006 and had been among the last remaining executives from the network’s Mark Pedowitz regime. Pedowitz, and all of his top lieutenants, have systematically been pushed out at the network since station group Nexstar took over a 75 percent controlling stake of The CW in October.
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Brad Schwartz, The CW’s president of entertainment, announced Levy’s departure in a memo to staff Tuesday. (Read it in full, below.) “Now that the hard transition work is done, he is ready for his next adventure. We want to thank Kevin for his immeasurable contributions to The CW. Kevin has been an integral member of our team and I have the utmost respect for his leadership, his experience, his skill, his instincts and his benevolence. We are sad to see him go, but wish him all the best, and will continue to have him on speed-dial,” said Schwartz.
Levy, who made the decision to leave himself, was part of the executive team who helped build The CW out of the ashes of the former UPN. He started his career at UPN and helped launch shows including America’s Next Top Model, Veronica Mars and Everybody Hates Chris. More recently, he helped land acquisitions for The CW including Sullivan’s Crossing, The Librarians: The Next Chapter and Son of a Critch.
The CW was created as a joint venture between CBS Studios and Warner Bros. Television (hence the name of the network). The network was never designed to be profitable but rather to generate billions in revenue for both studios through selling foreign and streaming rights to low-cost originals. With the need to control both foreign and domestic streaming rights, both revenue streams dried up and CBS Studios and Warners opted to instead sell a controlling 75 percent stake in the network to Nexstar.
Since taking over in October, Nexstar has pushed out Pedowitz and his top executive regime including exec vp current Michael Roberts, exec vp development Gaye Hirsch as well as the heads of finance, marketing and other departments. Of the previous regime, the only senior executive that remains is senior vp scripted Liz Wise, a 12-year CW veteran, though there are lower-level staffers who remain at the network.
Nexstar has systematically canceled nearly all of The CW’s homegrown scripted originals save for All American and its spinoff, Homecoming; Walker and Superman & Lois while adding a slew of lower-cost foreign imports, a show about Jesus and FBoy Island and its female-focused spinoff in a bid to make the network profitable by 2025.
Here’s the memo from Schwartz:
Team CW,
As we head toward an exciting fall launch for the new CW, I wanted to let you know that on August 1st, Kevin Levy will be stepping down from his role as Executive Vice President, Program Planning, Scheduling and Acquisitions.
A 25-year industry veteran, Kevin helped build this network twice: first during his time at UPN where he began his television career and helped launch shows like AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL, VERONICA MARS and EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS, then again as part of the original executive team that created The CW in 2006.
Kevin’s efforts to shape The CW’s content strategy fueled the network’s growth over the past two decades as he oversaw the scheduling of culture-defining hits like THE FLASH, SUPERNATURAL, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, JANE THE VIRGIN, RIVERDALE, ALL AMERICAN and GOSSIP GIRL. Through his work leading the network’s acquisitions of movies, specials and series, Kevin brought in some of The CW’s most successful franchises. Over the past nine months, Kevin helped us re-imagine the network once again under Nexstar, embracing new directions and setting us up for future success by securing series such as SULLIVAN’S CROSSING, THE LIBRARIANS: THE NEXT CHAPTER and SON OF A CRITCH.
Now that the hard transition work is done, he is ready for his next adventure. We want to thank Kevin for his immeasurable contributions to The CW. Kevin has been an integral member of our team and I have the utmost respect for his leadership, his experience, his skill, his instincts, and his benevolence. We are sad to see him go, but wish him all the best, and will continue to have him on speed-dial.
-Brad
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