Scott Koondel Gets Broader Role At CBS

Scott Koondel today was named SVP and chief corporate content licensing officer for CBS Corp. He will report to Joseph Ianniello, EVP-CFO, CBS Corp.

In this new role, Koondel will be responsible for developing and executing a coordinated company strategy designed to maximize revenue from the licensing and distribution of content from all of the company’s business units, including CBS Studios, CBS Television Network, CBS News, Showtime, CBS Films and CBS Interactive. In addition, the company said, Koondel “will also seek opportunities to optimize the value of programming assets associated with CBS’s interest in The CW, and will integrate and grow revenue derived from a vast library of past CBS series.”

Prior to this appointment, in addition to his growing corporate role, Koondel had been the president of distribution for CBS Television Distribution. At the same time, he spearheaded the company’s entry into the emerging digital distribution space, and was instrumental in the deals that brought CBS library programming to Netflix and Amazon, among others.

Koondel will continue to stay closely involved in the support of the company’s efforts in domestic cable and digital programming sales under the newly formed CBS Global Distribution Group, a merger of the company’s domestic and international programming distribution business.

Previously, Koondel was EVP, off-network, cable and interactive media for CBS Television Distribution, following its creation after the September 2006 merger of King World and CBS Paramount Domestic Television.  Before the merger he had been EVP, distribution, CBS Paramount Domestic Television, where he oversaw a national sales force for the division’s off-network and first-run syndicated programming.  Over the years, he played a key role in the integration of Viacom Productions, Spelling Entertainment, Worldvision and Rysher’s television assets into CBS Paramount Domestic Television.

Prior to CBS’s separation from Viacom in January 2006, Koondel oversaw distribution for all of Paramount Pictures’ theatrical features and managed its library of more than 3,600 titles.  He first joined Paramount in 1994 as eastern division manager in New York. 

He was promoted to VP of off-network television sales in 1997, and soon added first-run television to his responsibilities.  In 1999, he was named SVP and national sales manager. 

Previously, Koondel held executive positions in sales and marketing at Tribune Television, A&E Cable Networks and Cox Communications.