Steve Jones is exiting ABC Radio after three decades with the company to join Skyview Networks as President/COO.
Jones has been with ABC News since 1986 starting as a freelance writer and moving up through the corporate ranks to VP/Programming and Operations of ABCNews.com and then to his role as Vice President and General Manager of ABC Radio where he rebuilt the brand after the sale of the former ABC Radio Networks to Citadel. Jones has worked closely with Skyview at ABC as they handle distribution of the ABC Radio’s programming and are both partnered with Local Radio Networks to create new 24/7 formats.
Jones will oversee Skyview’s move into content creation as well as their sports play-by-play distribution, syndication, network sales, and distribution platforms.
ABC released the following memo from Jones regarding his departure:
I want to share with you that I am leaving ABC News to accept a leadership position with our business partners at Skyview Networks. This decision was reached after very careful consideration and consultation both with Skyview and ABC News—two organizations I care deeply about. In the end, the opportunity to help lead the growth and expansion at Skyview convinced me to take the position of president and chief operating officer, reporting to ceo and co-founder Ken Thiele. Thankfully, I will still have a working relationship with ABC News Radio since Skyview and ABC News have an agreement through 2026. My last day at ABC News will be Friday, April 5th.
I will leave the ABC News Radio business in a position of strength as the dominant radio news brand in America. Our digital audio programming has shown continual growth and success. The audio industry respects and admires us because of your incredible talent and dedication to this important work. Your reporting is more necessary and essential to our society than ever before.
On a personal note, I have been provided with the most extraordinary career for which I cannot be more appreciative. For 31 years, ABC News has been the center of my professional life and a constant presence in my personal life, too. From my initial days in 1986 as a freelance ABC News Radio writer, then moving up to producer and director followed by three years as VP, Programming and Operations of abcnews.com and, finally, leading the very news brand that inspired me as a young man: ABC News Radio.
I have awakened every day excited for the challenge, grateful for the opportunity and inspired by your passion and intelligence. I have tried to lead with integrity and empathy, even when business required difficult decisions. I leave ABC with great pride in our success and the knowledge that this incredible team will continue our legacy of excellence. I’m thankful to have made such a deep network of friends and colleagues across this industry and this news division, people who have supported me many times. I look forward to thanking you personally.
During this transition period, it will be business as usual for you with the executive team for whom I have much gratitude: Andrew Kalb handling news coverage/digital programming; Abe Velez handling business development; Heidi Oringer handling affiliate relations/sales; Jeff Fitzgerald overseeing operations.
With appreciation and admiration,
Steve
Skyview Networks announced today that ABC Radio executive Steve Jones will assume the role of President and Chief Operating Officer reporting to co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Ken Thiele. In his new role, Jones will help lead Skyview Networks’ growth in sports play-by-play, content creation across platforms, syndication, network sales, distribution of audio and technology innovation. Jones begins his new role with Skyview Networks on April 9, 2019. He will conduct business from both the company’s Scottsdale corporate office and its New York office.
“Steve is a highly respected leader in the audio industry and his addition to Skyview will accelerate what already has been a period of explosive growth,” said CEO Ken Thiele. “Since Skyview Networks and ABC News partnered in 2014, Steve and I have worked side-by-side in developing new business that has resulted in great success for both companies.”
In his role at Disney/ABC, Jones led the ABC Radio business, which provides news and entertainment content, reaching over 73-million listeners weekly across 1,650 radio stations and a myriad of digital audio platforms.
“I am thrilled to be joining Skyview to help grow what already is an outstanding company and to build upon Skyview’s success with ABC, CBS and its sports play-by-play business,” said Jones. “Skyview has built a world-class sales organization led by Jeanne-Marie Condo, and together, we will create and bring new power, reach and scale to the marketplace.”
“We are excited to welcome Steve to the company and the Skyview leadership team,” said Jeanne-Marie Condo, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Skyview Networks. “He has an extraordinary vision for how we can organically expand our footprint and bring new innovation to our partners and our clients.”
Continued Thiele, “During more than 30 years at Disney/ABC, Steve received dozens of awards recognizing his role as a business leader, innovator and content creator. He now brings his experience and expertise to Skyview to help prepare us for our next phase of aggressive growth.”
Among his industry recognition, Jones has been named to Radio Ink’s annual 40 Most Powerful list of broadcast executives (2018, 2017), received the Ward L. Quaal Leadership Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America (2017), and the First Amendment Service Award from the Radio Television News Directors Foundation (2017). Under his leadership, the ABC News Radio team has been recognized with dozens of awards including the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award multiple times for news coverage and Peabody Awards for Superstorm Sandy coverage, and while leading abcnews.com, for coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
