The individual charged with negotiating complex carriage agreements with MVPDs and “OTT” platforms for Tribune Media won’t be sticking around once its merger with acquirer Sinclair Broadcast Group closes.
That’s because he’s joining Nexstar Media Group, and has accepted the newly created position of SVP/Distribution.
In this role, Keith P. Hopkins will work with Nexstar Chairman and President/CEO Perry A. Sook and EVP and General Counsel Elizabeth Ryder, overseeing strategic local content distribution initiatives and affiliate relations for the company’s broadcast and digital operations in 100 markets across the U.S.
Hopkins takes on his new role Sept. 1. At time, Hopkins will help negotiate carriage agreements with Nexstar’s distribution partners, and advise the C-Suite on network affiliation contract negotiations including OTT services.
He will also manage contract and regulatory compliance, execute action plans aimed at achieving operational goals, and build on Nexstar’s relationships with networks, distributors, and syndicators.
Additionally, Hopkins will be responsible for identifying new revenue opportunities to leverage and monetize changing market dynamics related to distribution, rights, contract compliance and new entrants.
At Tribune Media, Hopkins was VP/Affiliates Sales and Marketing.
Before that, he served as Senior Director of Affiliate Sales and Marketing for the Pac-12 Networks, where he was on a team that led the global distribution development efforts for the Pac-12 national, regional and digital networks and executed carriage agreements with DISH, AT&T U-verse, NCTC and Google Fiber, among other MVPDs.
Earlier in his career, Hopkins was a National Account Sales Manager at NBCUniversal.
Commenting on Hopkins’ arrival next month, Sook said, “With our expanded scale, including 170 TV stations in 100 markets across the U.S., the successful negotiation of valuable distribution agreements remains a key strategic priority. With continued long-term progress against our revenue diversification initiatives, retransmission fee revenue and other non-core television revenue now accounts for more than 50% of our total revenue and our prospects for growth from this revenue stream remain strong and visible. We believe Keith is the ideal candidate to complement Elizabeth and I as we further build this revenue stream.”
