Trey Gargano has been named executive vice president of ad sales, taking the reins of the outlet’s efforts to drive millions of dollars in advertising revenue at a time when Madison Avenue has seemed more ambivalent about news content.
Additionally, Ryan Roelle has been promoted to senior vice president of national sales, and will focus on endemic and national advertising in addition to leading linear and digital sales across the country. She will report to Gargano and continue to be basedin Chicago.
Gargano fills in a role that was previously held by Jeff Collins, who was recently named president of ad sales, marketing and brand partnerships for Fox Corp. During Collins’ tenure, Fox News worked to broaden its appeal to sponsors by delving into documentary series and lifestyle-centered programming that offered an alternative to the hot politics talk that is such a hallmark of its schedule. The Fox Corp.-backed outlet has also opened new digital-media properties including Fox Weather.
“Over the past four years, Trey’s vast knowledge and deep understanding of the news marketplace helped drive new revenue streams while Ryan has increased the effectiveness and performance of our endemic and national sales teams,” Collins said in a statement. “Together, they will ensure continued growth across Fox News Media platforms and success for our valued partners.”
Like its rivals, Fox News has been grappling with the rise of streaming video as well as advertisers’ growing resistance to news programming in an era when a polarized U.S. population makes sponsorship a more fraught prospect. Fox News has also had to contend with a glut of direct-response advertising, which the parent company has said has weighed on pricing.
Gargano had been senior vice president of ad sales, overseeing all national, political and direct response sales. He previously spent 20 years with Turner Broadcasting where he held a number of leadership positions, including vice president of portfolio ad sales and client lead across CNN and Turner/Warner Media. Gargano got his start in the industry working as a broadcast specialist for Young & Rubicam.
Roelle will lead linear and digital sales efforts while overseeing the Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta sales teams. She rejoined the network in 2018 following three years at Viant, where she was the senior director of sales and enterprise sales based in Chicago. Prior to that, Roelle spent nearly 12 years at Fox News where she rose to the level of director of digital sales for the Midwest and West Coast.She got her start in the industry at CNBC as a sales assistant and planner.
