Pedowitz has run the CW as CEO and chairman since 2011, setting the stage for a channel that has embraced the superhero genre with shows like The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl among others.
Mark Pedowitz is leaving the CW, a network he has led as CEO and chairman since 2011, as Nexstar Media Group prepares to acquire the company. Nexstar is expected to close the deal at some point in the third quarter of 2022, but has already begun to run the network’s operations.
Dennis Miller, who has served on Nexstar’s board of directors for the past few years, will take over the role.
“Dennis Miller brings a unique skill set of proven television, media, and technology industry expertise, as well as venture capital experience to the role of President at The CW. His understanding and ability to unlock value from media assets by delivering high-quality, profitable entertainment, will serve the network, its viewers, its partners and CW affiliates around the country extremely well. We are confident his background, experience and relationships will allow Nexstar to deliver on the value of this transaction for our shareholders,” said Perry Sook, Nexstar’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “I look forward to working with Dennis and Sean Compton, Nexstar’s President of Networks, to build on the foundation that Mark Pedowitz and his team have established at both the CW Network and the CW App. We sincerely thank Mark for his many years of service to The CW and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”
During his tenure, Pedowitz transformed the CW, moving it past the female-focused content into a more broad network centered around DC comic-heroes, with shows like Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl, among others.
Nexstar is taking a 75% stake in the CW, while Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global, the other stakeholders, will each control 12.5% of the venture. Two antecedent media corporations, Time Warner and CBS Corp., launched the CW in 2006 when it became clear that UPN and WB lacked the ability to gain scale or grow profits on their own.
According to Variety, Pedowitz is expected to revive his production company, Pine Street Entertainment, where he was involved in projects including The Crazy Ones, a comedy series starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar that aired on CBS.
