Starting May 1, veteran broadcaster Bill Hoffman goes from EVP to president of Cox Media Group, which includes newspapers as well as TV and radio holdings. The opportunity was created by a transition plan for parent Cox Enterprises: In preparation for the retirement of CEO Jimmy Hayes in April 2014, CFO John Dyer becomes COO, while current CMG president, Douglas Franklin, becomes CFO.
Hoffman Taking Top Job At Cox Media Group
Veteran TV broadcaster Bill Hoffman is stepping up as president of Cox Media Group, which includes not only the TV and radio stations of Cox Enterprises, but also its newspapers.
On May 1, he will succeed Douglas Franklin, who becomes CFO of the parent company.
The moves were triggered by a year-long transition plan announced by Cox Enterprises this afternoon. Under that plan, Jimmy W. Hayes will retired in April 2014 as president-CEO of Cox Enterprises, a post he has held since 2008. He will be succeeded by John Dyer, now the CFO.
Effective May 1, Dyer will shed the CFO title and prepare for the top job as COO, clearing the way for Franklin to become CFO. Hoffman is currently EVP of the Cox Media Group.
“Bill is a talented, senior executive who will provide strong leadership, continuity and direction at Cox Media Group,” said Cox Enterprises Chairman Jim Kennedy in a prepared statement. “His innate understanding of the integration of broadcast, print and digital media will help ensure Cox outlets maintain their enviable rankings in a highly competitive media landscape.”
Prior to serving as EVP of CMG, Hoffman was GM of flagship WSB-TV Atlanta.
He joined Cox in 1979 as an account representative at TeleRep. Other roles included GM of WFTV Orlando; local sales manager at WSB; office manager at Atlanta’s TeleRep office; and national sales manager at WPXI Pittsburgh. He also was local and national sales manager of WCCO Minneapolis.
Dyer began his career at Cox in 1977 as internal auditor. In 1980, he joined the company’s broadband communications and entertainment subsidiary, Cox Communications, as a financial analyst.
He later served as manager of capital asset planning and director of operations before joining Times Mirror Cable, where he was regional vice president of operations and vice president of operations. Dyer returned to Cox Communications as vice president of financial planning and analysis when Cox acquired Times Mirror in 1995. He has been CFO since 2008.
Franklin is primarily a newspaperman. Before CMG, he was publisher of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, publisher of The Palm Beach Post, president and chief executive officer of Cox Ohio Publishing, publisher of the Dayton Daily News, and executive vice president, general manager and business manager of Dayton Newspapers.
Franklin joined the company more than 30 years ago as a door-to-door circulation solicitor.
Comments (4)
Jay Miller says:
April 23, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Truly one of the good guys!!!
Greg DePriest says:
April 23, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Congratulations—Bill, how does it feel to be a “veteran TV Broadcaster”? time flies
Brian Burko says:
April 23, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Very well deserved, Bill! Congratulations!!
Wanda LaCroix says:
April 23, 2013 at 8:53 pm
Congrats Bill- well deserved! And a special shout out to the “Hammer” that taught you all you know! It’s great to see the “good guys” move up.