• by Wayne Friedman , October 31, 2011

Ex-Turner Broadcasting advertising sales executive, Linda Yaccarino, as expected, has been named president of cable entertainment and digital advertising for NBCUniversal.

Yaccarino replaces Dave Cassaro, who had the same title. Like Cassaro, she will jointly report to both Bonnie Hammer, chairman of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment & Cable Studios, and Lauren Zalaznick, chairman, NBCUniversal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media.

She will be responsible for advertising sales for all of NBC cable and associated digital platforms, including USA, Syfy, Bravo Media, E! Entertainment, Oxygen Media, Style, G4, Sprout, Chiller, and Cloo.

Also she will have responsibilities over NBC.com, AccessHollywood.com, NBCSports.com, NBCOlympics.com and GolfChannel.com and the standalone digital businesses DailyCandy, Swirl, Fandango, iVillage and Television Without Pity.

At Turner, Yaccarino was responsible for all advertising sales, sales marketing and program acquisitions for the company’s television networks TNT, TBS and truTV, as well as overseeing acquisitions for sister networks TCM, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.

Among some of her achievements, she helped developed “inContext,” the industry’s first contextual platform, which places an ad in context in close proximity to a particular piece of TV content.

NBC executives Hammer and Zalaznick in a joint statement, said:  “Linda has a proven track record in driving commercial success through industry-leading innovations and creative strategic marketing solutions for her clients."

Cassaro had long been a head of advertising sales of Comcast's own cable networks. Comcast became the majority owner of NBCUniversal in January of this year. NBC did not disclose a reason for Cassaro's departure.

Steve Burke, chief executive officer of NBCUniversal, stated that Cassaro "leaves that group very well positioned within the marketplace.”

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