Kim Guthrie Named Cox Media President

Kim Guthrie will be appointed president of Cox Media Group, to succeed Bill Hoffman who has announced he will retire at the end of the year after a 38-year career in media. Guthrie will assume the role on Jan. 1, 2017 and report to Cox Enterprises EVP-COO Alex Taylor.

“Kim has been with Cox for nearly 20 years and is an inspirational leader who has helped our media properties transform,” said Cox Enterprises presidentCEO John Dyer. “She played a key role in the successful creation of Cox Media Group in 2008 and has been recognized as one of the media industry’s most influential leaders. She is a natural fit to ensure Cox Media Group continues to deliver innovative products and compelling news content.”

Guthrie joined the company in 1998 and currently is Cox Media Group’s EVP of national ad platforms and president of Cox Reps, the country’s largest television advertising rep firm. She also oversees Videa, which provides sales automation solutions designed to simplify the buying and selling of television advertising.

She was previously responsible for all programming, operations and sales at Cox’s 59 radio stations located in 11 markets. Under her leadership, the stations won multiple honors for programming excellence and outstanding community service, including several Marconi awards, Edward R. Murrow awards, Crystal Awards, New York Air Awards and Gracie Awards.

Prior to Cox, Guthrie was a television news reporter and held various news, sales and management positions in Minneapolis and Milwaukee.

She was elected to the National Association of Broadcasting board in 2014. She is a multi-year honoree as Radio Ink magazine’s “Most Powerful People in Radio” and “Most Influential Women in Radio.” She also was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the March of Dimes and “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She received a degree in journalism from Iowa State University.

Hoffman assumed the role of president in 2013. Under his leadership, Cox Media Group launched Rare, a news site, and expanded into new niche content vertical businesses. The company also grew its digital presence, investigative journalism and content creation, as well as transformed the way television advertising is bought and sold through the formation of Videa.

He joined Cox in 1979 as an account executive with TeleRep in Detroit and held a number of roles within the company, including VP-GM of WFTV-WRDQ in Orlando, Fla., and at WSB-TV Atlanta. Before assuming the role of president, he was Cox Media Group’s EVP of broadcast where he oversaw the majority of the company’s radio and television operations, as well as its corporate revenue efforts.  

Hoffman’s board representation has included the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, American Rivers, BMI, the Associated Press, the National Association of Broadcasters, the Broadcasters Foundation of America, and the ABC Board of Governors, where he was a former chairman.

“Bill has done a tremendous job leading Cox Media Group through a rapidly evolving media environment,” said Dyer. “As a leader, he has always embodied the spirit of our company. He’s inspired and valued employees, anticipated and driven change and been a true community champion in every city he’s lived. We are grateful for his leadership and dedication.”