Michael J. Kelly

Last updated
Michael J. Kelly
Born1957 (age 64–65)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater University of Wisconsin
University of Illinois
OccupationMedia executive
Years active1980–present
Known for Entertainment Weekly
(1996-2000)
Founder & CEO,
American Town Network
(2000-02)
President,
AOL Media Networks
(2004-07)
President & CEO,
The Weather Channel Co
(2009-12) l
SpouseMartha Hall Kelly

Michael J. "Mike" Kelly (born 1957) [1] is an American entrepreneur and media executive. He is the co-founder and CEO of KNV, a digital media investment and advisory firm. Prior to that, he was the president and CEO of The Weather Channel Companies, president of AOL Media Networks, and also held various executive positions at Time Warner and AOL.

Contents

Kelly is not to be confused with J. Michael Kelly, who was CFO of AOL when it was a standalone company, then CFO of AOL Time Warner after the merger, COO of the AOL division within AOL Time Warner (since renamed Time Warner), and then CEO of AOL International. [2] [3]

Early life and education

Kelly was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. [4] His father, also named Michael J. Kelly, was a longtime advertising executive in Chicago and New York, and his great uncle was Edward Joseph Kelly, the mayor of Chicago from 1933 to 1947. [5]

Kelly attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison and later graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign with a bachelor of arts in political science. [6]

Career

Time Inc. and American Town Network (1980-2002)

After beginning his career at the Chicago Tribune in 1980, Kelly moved to Time Inc. in 1983, where he remained until 2000. [6] While there, he managed the Southeast and New York sales offices for Fortune magazine, before joining the launch team of Entertainment Weekly in 1989. He served as the magazine's publisher from 1996 until 2000, [6] [7] [8] and was twice named Publisher of the Year. [6] [9]

In 2000, Kelly founded American Town Network, serving as CEO of the locally focused, community-based digital platform until 2002. [6] By 2009, American Town Network had become the largest "hyper-local" platform in the US. [4]

Time Warner and AOL (2002-07)

In 2002, two years after AOL and Time Warner merged, [10] Kelly was named president of global marketing for Time Warner. [11] He became the founding president of AOL Media Networks in 2004, [12] responsible for AOL's marketing and advertising. [11] [7] While at AOL, Kelly oversaw the company's Web advertising buying spree, [13] including its June 2004 purchase of Advertising.com for $435 million. [14] He also oversaw AOL's partnership with Google, [15] and the company's acquisition of mobile ad firm Third Screen Media. [13] While he was at AOL, advertising and commerce revenue more than tripled, to over $2.2 billion. [15] He left AOL in 2007.

The Weather Channel (2009-12)

On July 20, 2009, shortly after The Weather Channel was sold by Landmark Communications to NBC Universal and private equity firms Bain Capital and Blackstone Group for $3.5 billion, [16] Kelly was named president and CEO of The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC). [9] [11] He was responsible for the strategic direction and operations of The Weather Channel, The Weather Channel Interactive, weather.com and The Weather Channel Mobile, Weather Services International and Enterprise Electronics Corporation. [6]

Under Kelly, TWCC saw huge growth in its digital media business, specifically involving its mobile apps and data. [17] This growth would lead to IBM's 2015 purchase of The Weather Company's digital division for an undisclosed sum. [18] [19] Kelly also oversaw the addition of taped reality shows and documentaries, which were not always directly connected to weather. This change improved the channel's ratings, but was said to alienate some fans who preferred strictly weather-related programming. [20]

Kelly left TWCC in 2012, becoming a special advisor to TWCC and Bain Capital. [17]

Other work

Since 2004, Kelly has served as a board member of The Kelly Gang, a media-centric group of executives who have raised money for philanthropic purposes through annual St. Patrick's Day celebrations. [8]

From 2007 to 2009, he was an advisor to media-focused private equity fund Veronis Suhler Stevenson. [9] [21] He also served on the board of numerous digital media companies, including Eyeblaster, VisibleWorld, ContextWeb and American Town Network. [22] He is on the board of directors of the American Advertising Federation, where he twice chaired the Advertising Hall of Fame, and has previously served on the Ad Council. [23] Since 2011, he has sat on the board of councilors at the Carter Center in Atlanta. [24]

In 2012, Kelly was named chairman of cloud-based media planning software company ColSpace, becoming lead investor in 2014. [25] On May 19, 2016, Colspace was acquired by Mediaocean (owned by Vista Equity Partners). [26] Also in 2012, Kelly joined London-based media advertising company Unruly Media as non-executive lead director, later being named chairman. [15] [27] On September 16, 2015, it was announced that Unruly would be purchased by News Corp for $176 million. [28]

Personal life

Kelly's wife, Martha Hall Kelly, is a writer whose debut novel, Lilac Girls, was published by Ballantine Books in 2016. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AOL</span> American web portal and online service provider

AOL is an American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WarnerMedia</span> Former American multinational media conglomerate

Warner Media, LLC was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Chernin</span> American businessman and investor

Peter Chernin is an American businessman and investor. He is the chairman and CEO of The Chernin Group (TCG), which he founded in 2010. TCG manages, operates and invests in businesses in the media, entertainment, and technology sectors. Specifically, the company focuses on three areas: making investments in technology and media companies in the US, developing premium content for film and television, and capitalizing on strategic business opportunities in emerging markets.

Michael Mark Lynton is a businessman and current chairman of Snap Inc. He previously served as chairman and chief executive of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In 2017, Lynton stepped down as CEO of Sony Entertainment to become Chairman of Snap, makers of the Snapchat mobile app. On February 12, 2019, he was named as chairman of Warner Music Group.

Randel A. Falco is an American media executive. Falco was president and CEO of Univision Communications Inc. from June 2011 until retiring in June 2018. Before joining Univision in January 2011 as Executive Vice President and COO, he served as Chairman of the Board and CEO of AOL from November 2006 to March 2009. Prior to his tenure at AOL, he spent 31 years at NBC, including serving as the network's president and COO.

Larry Tanz is an American entertainment industry executive. He has held executive positions with AOL Time Warner, and previously served as president and CEO of LivePlanet, as well as the president and CEO of Vuguru. He is currently the VP of Global Television at Netflix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Pittman (media executive)</span> American businessman

Robert Warren Pittman is an American businessman. Pittman was the CEO of MTV Networks and the cofounder and programmer who led the team that created MTV, and is the cofounder of iHeartMedia and Casa Dragones Tequila. Pittman joined iHeartMedia's predecessor company Clear Channel in November 2010 as an investor and the company's Chairman of Media and Entertainment Platforms, was named CEO in 2011 and chairman in 2013. Pittman led Clear Channel's transformation into iHeartMedia, Inc. in September 2014 to reflect its new multiplatform business and expanded mission. Pittman has also been the former chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Outdoor, CEO of AOL Networks, Six Flags Theme Parks, Quantum Media, Century 21 Real Estate and Time Warner Enterprises, and COO of America Online, Inc. and AOL Time Warner.

Jonathan F. Miller was CEO of Digital Media at News Corp until 2012 and was the chairman and CEO of America Online from 2002 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craig Forman</span> American businessman

Craig Forman is a partner at NextNews Ventures in San Francisco and past President and Chief Executive Officer of McClatchy, operator of 30 media companies in 29 U.S. markets in 14 states. Forman is a non-resident fellow at the Shorenstein Center at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, a media, technology and telecommunications entrepreneur and former foreign correspondent and bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Armstrong (executive)</span> American businessman

Timothy M. Armstrong is an American business executive. He was formerly the CEO of Oath Inc., a subsidiary of Verizon Communications that serves as the umbrella company of its digital content subdivisions, including AOL and Yahoo!. Previously, he was the CEO of AOL Inc. from 2009 until its purchase by Verizon in 2015. Was born in December 21, 1970

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Lord (business executive)</span>

Robert (Bob) Lord is an American business executive, serving as a Senior Vice President at IBM. Lord oversees The Weather Company and Alliances, Watson Advertising and TradeLens. Prior to his current role, Lord served as Senior Vice President of IBM’s Worldwide Ecosystems business, where he transformed the ecosystem business, making it core to IBM’s go-to-market strategy. Kicking off his career at IBM, Lord served as the company’s first Chief Digital Officer in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David J. Moore</span> American businessman

David J Moore is an American businessman. He is a former IAB chairman, current IAB board member since 2001, and Chairman, CEO and Founder of 24/7 Real Media. Moore is also the Chairman of IAI Advisory Committee. He is on the board of Visible Technologies, on the board of a non-profit AEF and on the board of Auditude.

Sandy Grushow is an American businessman, and the CEO of Phase 2 Media, a board member for The Weather Company and works with MediaLink in the role of senior media advisor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivek R. Shah</span> American businessman

Vivek R. Shah is an American businessman and chief executive officer of Ziff Davis, an American internet and digital media company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Kyncl</span> American business executive

Robert Kyncl is an American business executive. He will become the CEO of Warner Music Group on Jan 1, 2023. He is currently the Chief Business Officer at YouTube where he oversaw all business functions, partnerships and operations. Before YouTube, Kyncl was Vice President of Content Acquisitions at Netflix, where he spearheaded the company's content acquisition for streaming TV shows and movies over the Internet. Mr and Mrs Kyncl reside with their two daughters in Los Angeles and founded Kyncl Family Foundation focused on supporting educational needs of underrepresented communities.

Michael E. Kassan is a digital media expert, entrepreneur, commentator, and adviser to media companies. Kassan is the founder and CEO of MediaLink.

Meredith Kopit Levien is an American media executive who is the chief executive officer of The New York Times Company.

William J. "Bill" Abbott is the President and CEO of GAC Media since 2021. He is the former President and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, the parent of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. His career in the entertainment industry has focused on family television for over 25 years. He piloted "Countdown to the Holidays", Hallmark’s signature marketing and programming initiative, including its “Countdown to Christmas” campaign. When he became Crown Media CEO in 2009, he spearheaded the addition of scripted series for primetime, including Cedar Cove and When Calls the Heart, as well as the launch of the yearly special Kitten Bowl. Abbott has been featured in the Cablefax 100 list of top power players every year from 2009 through 2016. He also received the Diversity Partner Award from the T. Howard Foundation in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Levin</span> American media executive

Jordan Levin is an American media executive, producer, and entrepreneur. He is general manager of Rooster Teeth, an Austin, Texas-based digital-media and events company owned by AT&T's WarnerMedia. A strategic advisor and business consultant, he was most recently the chief executive officer at AwesomenessTV, and previously the chief content officer at the NFL, the CEO at The WB, and the founder and CEO of Generate, a production studio and talent management company. Levin is also a co-owner of the Chicago Red Stars.

Scot Safon is an American media executive who formerly served as President of HLN and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of CNN. In March 2018, Safon was named Chief Marketing Officer of UPtv.

References

  1. ↑ Jeffrey Scott, "Weather Channel taps former AOL exec as new chief," Atlanta Journal-Constitution , August 28, 2009.
  2. ↑ "The Five Dumbest Things on Wall Street This Week".
  3. ↑ "Home | Pressroom".
  4. 1 2 "Michael J. Kelly Named President/CEO of The Weather Channel Companies," The Weather Company, July 20, 2009.
  5. ↑ Kenan Heise, "Michael J. Kelly, 73, 40-year Advertising Exec," Chicago Tribune , September 21, 1990.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chris Ariens, "Michael J. Kelly Named CEO of The Weather Channel," Adweek , July 20, 2009.
  7. 1 2 Louise Story, "Moving Downtown: AOL Seeks New Image," New York Times , September 18, 2007.
  8. 1 2 Steve Cohn, "Michael J. Kelly (ex-Time Inc.) Is Out as Weather Channel CEO," Min Online, January 25, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 Bill Carter, "A New Chief Executive at the Weather Channel," New York Times, July 20, 2009.
  10. ↑ Noah Davis, "Where Are They Now: The Executives Behind The AOL-Time Warner Merger," Business Insider , November 16, 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 Kevin Kingsbury, "Weather Channel Taps Former AOL Executive, Michael Kelly, as CEO," Wall Street Journal , July 20, 2009.
  12. ↑ D.M. Levine, "The Weather Channel Names New CEO," Adweek, January 24, 2012.
  13. 1 2 Dan Frommer, "Ex-AOL Media Boss Mike Kelly Hired As Weather Channel CEO," Business Insider, July 21, 2009.
  14. ↑ David A. Vise, "AOL Buying Advertising.com," Washington Post , June 24, 2004.
  15. 1 2 3 Mike Kelly, VB Profiles. Accessed September 9, 2016.
  16. ↑ Joe Flint, "Facetime: Weather Channel chief paints rosy company forecast," Los Angeles Times , April 28, 2011.
  17. 1 2 Staci D. Kramer, "David Kenny Replacing Mike Kelly As CEO Of The Weather Channel Companies," Gigaom, January 24, 2012.
  18. ↑ David Goldman, "IBM buys digital part of Weather Channel," CNN Money, October 28, 2015.
  19. ↑ Katie Richards, "IBM Grows Big Data Capabilities After It Officially Acquires Weather Company Properties," Adweek, January 29, 2016.
  20. ↑ Brian Stelter, "Weather Channel's Parent Company Is Renamed," New York Times, October 21, 2012.
  21. ↑ Nellie Andreeva, "Michael J. Kelly to head TWCC," The Hollywood Reporter , July 20, 2009.
  22. ↑ Wayne Friedman, "Kelly Takes Helm At Weather Channel," MediaPost, July 20, 2009.
  23. ↑ "Michael J. Kelly/The Weather Channel Co.," Irish America, December 2011.
  24. ↑ "Carter Center Appoints New Members to Board of Councilors," The Carter Center, May 30, 2011.
  25. ↑ Peter Kafka, "Media Planning Company ColSpace Lands AOL/Time Warner Exec Mike Kelly as Chairman," Recode , October 13, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Mediaocean Acquires Industry Leading Media Planning Tool ColSpace," PR Newswire, May 19, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Ex-Weather Channel CEO Mike Kelly Joins Board At Unruly," adotas.com, September 17, 2012.
  28. ↑ Natasha Lomas, "News Corp To Buy Unruly For $176M To Drive More Video Ad Views," TechCrunch, September 16, 2015.
  29. ↑ Michael Callahan, "Shadows of War," New York Times , May 27, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.