Sid Cohen Dies: Longtime MGM Domestic Television Distribution Chief Was 84

Sid Cohen, a longtime TV syndication exec who was President of MGM Domestic Television Distribution during the 1990s, died Tuesday in Marina del Rey, CA, after a long illness. He was 84.

Cohen ran MGM’s domestic TV output unit from 1991-99, overseeing marketing and distribution of MGM and United Artists product in the U.S. and Canada to all broadcast television markets and basic cable networks, movies to network TV and also pay TV in Canada. While there, he established MGM’s Advertiser Sales Division, which reported directly to him.

Before joining MGM, the Brooklyn native had stints as President of Domestic Television Distribution at King World Productions, where he supervised the sales and marketing campaigns for syndication mega-properties Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy! and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Prior to that, he served as VP Feature Planning and Sales Development for the Domestic Television Distribution Division of Paramount Pictures Corp. At Paramount, he implemented syndication campaigns on behalf of such groundbreaking properties as Taxi, Cheers and Entertainment Tonight.

Cohen was born June 23, 1933, and graduated the University of Rhode Island, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Business in marketing and advertising. He was inducted into the College of Business’ Hall of Fame in April 2000.

He is survived by his daughter, Melissa; his son, Stephen; and three grandchildren.

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