Former Viacom Spokesman Carl Folta Lands at Abernathy MacGregor

Carl Folta, the long-time corporate spokesman for Viacom, has joined strategic communications firm Abernathy MacGregor as senior counselor.

Folta was executive VP of corporate communications at Viacom under former CEO Philippe Dauman. Folta left Viacom last year after Dauman was ousted by the family of Sumner Redstone, which owns a controlling stake in the media company.

"Carl’s extraordinary knowledge, expertise and relationships throughout the corporate community are very additive to our own, and will reinforce our firm’s position at the forefront of strategic communications for global and U.S. companies,” said Tom Johnson, CEO of Abernathy MacGregor. “Our clients will benefit from his decades of experience in all facets of public relations, and especially from his intricate knowledge of the media industry and issues facing those companies in the current environment.”

Folta was at Viacom from 1994 to 2016. Before that he was with Paramount Communications and Ruder & Finn.

“Abernathy MacGregor advises corporate leaders during some of their companies’ critical moments – from mergers and acquisitions and shareholder activism to crises and litigation – and I’m pleased to be joining the firm, which I have long admired,” said Folta. “I am excited about working with the outstanding team at Abernathy MacGregor and I look forward to using my skills, experience and insight to benefit the firm and its clients.”

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.