Travel Channel Appoints Shannon O’Neill President of Network
Almost four months after the net announced that Laureen Ong would be stepping down from her role as prez, Travel Channel has named a new leader for its exec ranks: Shannon O’Neill.
O’Neill steps into the post after spending three years as the cabler’s senior veep and chief financial officer. He will report to Burton Jablin, president of Scripps Networks operating division.
“Shannon is an outstanding leader and strategic thinker with extensive experience creating new media businesses, building audiences and growing revenues,” Jablin said. “His mission as president of Travel Channel will be to deliver programming that embraces and celebrates travel as a video content category, while increasing the network’s audience profile of upscale, educated and highly valued viewers.”
Prior to his time at Travel, O’Neill was senior veep and g.m. of Golf Channel’s digital media business, and saw the net’s digital revenues grow tenfold. He has also served as veep of emerging networks for Comcast’s programming group, helping to launch FEARnet, among other brands.
“Our mission at Travel Channel is to build a team of engaging, expert hosts who accompany our viewers on amazing journeys, adventures and experiences,” O’Neill said. “We’re harnessing and building on travel’s power as a transformative force in our lives and its value as a growing consumer lifestyle category. With our focus on quality, original programming we celebrate the fundamental need human beings have to connect with other people, places and cultures.”
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