Lawrence Oliver, a familiar figure in the cable- and broadcast-TV industries, has returned to Reed Business Information’s Reed Television Group as vice president and general manager, a new position, RBI CEO Tad Smith announced Dec. 21.
Oliver -- whose involvement with Multichannel News dates to his time under Bill McGorry in the mid-1990s and whose association with Broadcasting & Cable goes back even farther -- has more recently been a VP and group publisher for other RBI publications, including TWICE magazine, in the New York Retail Group.
In his new position, he reports to Variety Group president Charlie Koones, and his direct reports include MCNeditor in chief Tom Steinert-Threlkeld, B&C editor in chief Max Robins and Television Group publisher Chuck Bolkcom.
“I am pleased to return to the industry that was formerly a major part of my life and career,” said Oliver, who has maintained a strong interest in the television industries. “I feel I never really left the TV business, having been a regular reader of the two magazines and Web sites I will now preside over. I look forward to continuing to grow the B&C and Multichannel News franchises and further strengthening their positions in a multimedia landscape that is evolving at lightning speed.”
In Oliver’s prior tenure at the magazines, they developed and grew strong partnerships with numerous industry organizations and, often with them, created such franchises as Wonder Women of Cable (originally with Cablevision magazine), Broadcaster of the Year, Young Engineer of the Year Award, NATPE Legacy Awards, PROMAX Brand Builder Awards and the Bernice Coe Award. He is expected to resume his former role as emcee at many Television Group events.
Oliver was also the first publisher at Mediaweek magazine and was publisher at Marketing and Media Decisions and associate publisher of Advertising Age.
