• by Wayne Friedman , July 17, 2009

Veteran media executive Mark Rosenthal has been named CEO of Current Media, the company that owns Current TV cable news network.

Rosenthal comes to Current from West Coast-based media/creative agency Spot Runner, where he was vice chairman/president of Media Platforms.

He replaced founder and former CEO of Current Media Joel Hyatt, who has been elevated to vice chairman. Hyatt and Al Gore founded Current TV in 2005. It now has 60 million subscribers.

Rosenthal, who was also CEO of Interpublic Media and president/COO of MTV Networks, will oversee domestic and international business activities of Current Media. He has been on the board of directors of Current Media since its inception.

At the same time, Spot Runner named Gus Warren the new general manager of its Malibu Media Platform group, effectively replacing Rosenthal. Malibu is an all-digital platform that streamlines the process of buying and selling TV and video advertising. Warren had served as Spot Runner's vice president of media partner sales and development.

Al Gore, chairman and co-founder of Current Media, said in a press release that Rosenthal's experience building some of the world's "most successful cable television networks, advertising and new media companies is the perfect addition to our team as we open new opportunities for Current's domestic and international expansion."