• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, September 13, 2010

AOL on Monday named former NBC Universal exec Chris Grosso to the newly created post of "general manager of the Homepage." Previously SVP of emerging digital businesses at NBCU, Grosso launched and oversaw NBC Digital Networks -- a division that created media properties in partnership with top advertisers, and also housed all iVillage Network properties.

Reporting to David Eun, president of AOL Media and Studios, Grasso "will balance the many demands for rotation on the Homepage to ensure that the best content is showcased for AOL's 15 million + daily visitors," a company spokeswoman told Online Media Daily.

Grasso was not available for comment on Monday.

As past of AOL's broader revival strategy, Eun was brought on earlier this year to "galvanize and build content networks of scale that can win," he told Online Media Daily. "I don't think it's a secret to say that the turnaround of AOL is hinged on content ... It's going to make or break [the company.]"

To win the content game, AOL is presently hiring hundreds of journalists, editors and various multimedia creators to flesh out its content offerings.

In August, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong announced second-quarter earnings that showed a 26% decline in revenues to $584.1 million. Advertising revenues declined to $296.9 million, a decline of 27% from the second quarter of 2009. Armstrong said he was nonetheless "pleased" by the company's trends, given external and internal factors.

Prior to Grasso's role at NBC Universal, he spent nine years at McKinsey and Company, where he led the firm's media and marketing practices, and was among the first employees in its Internet practice.