Seven native digital and five not-for-profit companies diversify media trade organization leadership, and build voice on critical marketplace issues

Miami, FL — (January 22, 2015) — Digital Content Next (DCN) today announced several changes to its governance and elected new members to its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. The moves are intended to broaden representation across the digital content industry and to continue DCN’s evolution as the only trade association that exclusively represents digital content companies. The focus will remain on promoting ongoing dialogue on critical, big picture issues as DCN welcomes companies exclusively creating monetized content into the fold.

DCN seeks to continue to sharpen its focus on the needs of content companies while at the same time representing the depth and breadth of the industry in its research and events, and in the marketplace to press, marketers, agencies and policy makers. With these amendments – announced in a members-only board meeting on January 21, held in conjunction with DCN’s annual summit in Miami, FL – senior executives from seven native digital companies and five not-for-profits have been added to the board and will support DCN in setting an agenda for discussions on issues ranging from net neutrality to revenue innovation to privacy.

Additionally, the board elected four new members to its Executive Committee: Jim Bankoff, chairman/CEO, Vox Media; Tamara Franklin, EVP, Digital, Scripps Networks Interactive; Declan Moore, chief media officer, National Geographic Society; and Christy Tanner, SVP and GM, CBS Interactive Media. They join Krishan Bhatia, EVP, Digital Strategy & Operations, NBCUniversal; Kevin Conroy, president, Digital and Enterprise Development, Univision Communications, Inc.; David Payne, chief digital officer, Gannett Co., Inc.; Drew Schutte, EVP and publisher, Details; and Michael Zimbalist, SVP, Advertising Products and Research & Development, The New York Times Company.

Zimbalist was elected Chair for 2015. Bhatia will serve as Vice-Chair. Executive Committee members serve a two-year term.

“I’m thrilled with the foresight of our leadership to make these moves in our pursuit of the interests of the companies investing billions in creating content people love,” said Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next. “We represent digitally-native companies and companies that are more than a century old, from non-profits to for-profits and companies that are pre-revenue to those with billions in revenues. All of our members have direct, trusted relationships with consumers and marketers building the highest quality experiences in digital media.”

DCN has seen record growth in the past twelve months adding nine new members to its expanding organization. Annual closed-door events for DCN members will continue in 2015. The organization will also expand its scope to share additional intelligence and industry findings through its InContext website, and public events and research. Recent members are Business Insider, The Daily Caller, NewsBeat Social, Newsday, Rodale, Telegraph Media Group, Vocativ, Vox Media and Warner Bros.

As an organization, DCN places significant emphasis on communicating key messages to high-quality digital publishers and bringing together this group to develop best practices and continue the innovation of this industry. DCN’s current member roster for 2015 is:

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ABOUT DIGITAL CONTENT NEXT

Founded in June 2001 as the Online Publishers Association, Digital Content Next is the only trade organization dedicated to serving the unique and diverse needs of high-quality digital content companies that manage trusted, direct relationships with consumers and marketers. Digital Content Next produces proprietary research for its members and the public, creates public and private forums to explore and advance key issues that impact digital content brands, and works to educate the public at large on the importance of quality content brands. More information about Digital Content Next is available at www.digitalcontentnext.org.

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Contact: Kaitlyn Kurosky
HIGH10 MEDIA
212 918 2040
[email protected]