Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday hired Guy Griggs, one of the chief members of The New York Times’ sales team, to be CNN’s senior vice president of ad sales and client partnerships.
Griggs will spearhead sales for all things news from WBD in his new role, according to a release from the company, spanning on-air, streaming and digital ads. The industry veteran will work with CNN CEO Mark Thompson, as well as the editorial and product teams, to “craft innovative advertising solutions across all platforms and implement high-impact strategies” that drive revenue.
The New York native is expected to jumpstart sales at CNN at a tough time for the cable channel and its parent company. WBD reported that Global Linear Networks, its division that includes CNN, TNT and Discovery Channel, had a 6.8% decrease in sales during the first quarter of 2025. Overall, WBD reported first quarter revenue of $8.98 billion, down 10% from the year prior.
Griggs will start at CNN later this month. He has been at the Times for the past eight years, including being the paper’s VP of national sales since May 2022. The Times recently reported its ad sales increased 4.2% during the first quarter, hitting $108.1 million; the bulk of that came from its digital ad sales, which were up more than 12% year-over-year.
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