Lawson To Head 20th Broadcast Syndie Sales

Twentieth Television today named Ken Lawson SVP and general sales manager, broadcast syndication sales of Twentieth Television.

Reporting to Twentieth President Greg Meidel, Lawson will be responsible for overseeing all broadcast sales for the off-network and first-run syndication unit.

The new job is a promotion. Lawson was VP, national sales manager, reporting to Paul Franklin, who left to company earlier this month to become president of CBS Television Distribution.

In his old post, Lawson oversaw the Los Angeles and Chicago regional sales office for Twentieth Television.

His most recent projects include the broadcast syndication launches of Family Guy, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family and Last Man Standing.

Additionally, Lawson handles the sales for the first-run programs Divorce Court and Dish Nation.

“With well over two decades of knowledge, experience and sales leadership at Twentieth, Lawson is an invaluable asset to the company and I am pleased to announce this well-deserved elevation,” said Meidel.

“Given the complexity of deals in the fast-evolving syndication marketplace, Ken will work closely with Steve MacDonald, Twentieth’s EVP and general sales manager of Cable; allowing for seamless and strategic deals surrounding the strong slate of programs in our pipeline including Fresh Off the Boat, The Carmichael Show, Life In Pieces, Rosewood and Empire.”  

Lawson joined Twentieth Television in 1989 as an intern in the company’s research department while earning his B.S. in business at the University of Southern California. 

Upon graduating from USC, Lawson served as a research analyst for the company before being promoted to senior analyst and shortly thereafter, moving to Twentieth Television’s sales department in Los Angeles as a sales trainee.