Keith Pelley appointed President of Rogers Media

TORONTO, Aug. 17 /CNW/ – Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI) today announced the appointment of Keith Pelley as the President of Rogers Media effective September 7, 2010. Mr. Pelley will succeed Tony Viner who announced his plan to retire in May 2010.

Keith Pelley, 46, will report to Nadir Mohamed and will have overall responsibility for Rogers Media properties including Rogers Broadcasting, Rogers Publishing, Rogers Digital Media, Rogers Sportsnet, the Shopping Channel, the Toronto Blue Jays and Rogers Centre.

Pelley was most recently Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning at CTV and President of Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Argonauts from 2004 to 2007. He was appointed President of TSN in 2000 following his leadership roles as Senior Vice President, Programming and Production and Vice President, Programming.

“Keith is a highly regarded media executive with strong business acumen and an extensive background in sports,” said Nadir Mohamed, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rogers Communications Inc. “He is widely recognized as an exceptional leader, and a proven operator who delivers results. Keith’s incredible depth and breadth of experience will be an asset to our senior executive team as we leverage our media assets in an increasingly digital world.”

Pelley succeeds Tony Viner, 63, as President and CEO of Rogers Media. Viner joined Rogers in 1982 and has grown Rogers Media from three radio stations when he started, to a diversified media company today comprised of radio, over-the-air and specialty television services, publishing, digital media, and sports entertainment.

“Tony has played an integral role in advancing our media business and Rogers Media has thrived under his leadership,” said Mohamed. “I’d like to thank Tony for his significant contributions and wish him the best in his retirement.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity to build on the legacy established by Tony Viner and the Rogers Media team,” said Keith Pelley. “I’ve worked closely with the Rogers Media team over the years and most recently through the Olympic broadcast partnership. I’ve been impressed with the team’s professionalism, dedication and results-driven approach.”

Tony Viner will work with Keith Pelley to ensure an orderly and seamless leadership transition.

Rogers is a diversified public Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada’s largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada’s leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Through Rogers Media we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).