• by Wayne Friedman , September 19, 2011

Longtime TV programming analysis executive for media agencies Steve Sternberg has been named senior vice president of sales research for ION Media Networks.  

In the new position for the network group, Sternberg will be responsible for developing sales research presentations and audience analysis to support the ION's advertising sales efforts. He will report to Stephen Appel, president of advertising sales for ION Media Networks.

Sternberg had been working with ION as a consultant over the last year, developing a consumer value index for the mini-broadcast network, among other research tools.

"Steve's smart, innovative practices and contribution to sales research over the years have made him a leader in the industry," states Appel.

A nearly three-decade media agency veteran, Sternberg had been a senior research executive focusing on television programming at media agencies such as Magna Global, TN Media and Bozell. Most recently, he had was involved with the film and TV research company Baseline.

ION Media Networks owns and operates ION Television, which gets to over 99 million homes, including Qubo, a kids' TV channel, and ION Life. It operates 60 full-power DTV television stations.