News Corp. Sends Ong to Hong Kong
National Geographic Channel President Named COO at Star
By Steve Donohue -- Multichannel News, 3/26/2007 2:00:00 PM
News Corp. assigned National Geographic Channel president Laureen Ong to a top post at its direct-broadcast satellite sector, naming her chief operating officer at Hong Kong-based Star.
With Ong leaving the network, News Corp. -- which owns the majority of NGC U.S. -- named David Haslingden CEO of the domestic service. It also promoted Steve Schiffman to acting general manger of NGC.
Ong’s departure appears to be a promotion for the News Corp. veteran, who ran Fox Broadcasting’s Washington, D.C., affiliate before joining NGC in 2000.
The move comes less than one month after NGC executive vice president of programming John Ford resigned. The network is still conducting a search for a replacement for Ford, who will remain through at least August.
Star is the top satellite company in Asia, reaching more than 300 million viewers across 53 countries. The company also owns several TV networks and controls more than 20,000 hours of Indian and Chinese programming.
