Look out for a big defection at Turner Broadcasting/CNN: Greg D’Alba, head of CNN ad sales, is leaving the company after 28 years.
“He can’t take it anymore,” a source close to D’Alba told me. “He can’t stand all the infighting and the politics.”
After Jeff Zucker became president of CNN Worldwide last year, Turner chairman/CEO Phil Kent was replaced by John Martin. One of Kent’s last acts was to promote David Levy to president of Turner Broadcasting System.
And it seems some of the execs don’t like each other.
“Greg is an incredibly well-respected guy and has had great success over the years, but it’s been very hard since Zucker came,” said my source.
D’Alba and his team had trouble selling ads as CNN’s ratings plunged to a 20-year low earlier this year.
And Zucker, the former head of NBC, hasn’t been able to stem the slide with his conversion of CNN from straight news to documentaries and infotainment.
D’Alba is leaving just before the crucial spring “upfronts,” when broadcasters showcase their upcoming schedules for advertisers.
But my source said he doesn’t plan to retire.
Though D’Alba hasn’t decided what he’ll do next, it is expected he’ll be barraged with offers from other media companies.
D’Alba had no comment. CNN didn’t respond by my deadline.