• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, February 12, 2008

TV Guide Network is seeing stars.

As the impending end to the writers' strike returns TV Guide Network's signature red-carpet coverage of the Oscars, the network said it has hired a new top sales executive. Timothy Russell joins as vice president, national advertising sales, from the Tennis Channel, where he led sales efforts.

His duties at TVG will range from the linear network to VOD to Gemstar-TV Guide's interactive programming guide. Russell will report to Richy Glassberg, senior vice president and director of advertising sales.

Glassberg called Russell "an accomplished" executive who "will play an instrumental role in expanding our client relationships."

With 83 million homes, TVG dwarfs the Tennis Channel's reach, but the sports network has been on an upswing, with the acquisition of rights to cover parts of three Grand Slams.

Russell spent more than a decade at Turner--rising to vice president, sales and marketing for CNN, before leaving for the fledgling tennis network.

After the Golden Globes' cancellation scuttled TVG's lynchpin red-carpet and fashion-wrap coverage last month, the network hoped to cash in with the excitement surrounding the Oscars.