TV One CEO Rodgers To Retire

TV One CEO Johnathan Rodgers will retire in July after a 45-year career in the media business, the network announced Monday.

Rodgers, who oversaw the 2004 launch of the Radio One/Comcast Cable-owned African-American network and has served as its only CEO, will leave TV One effective July 31, said network officials. A replacement for Rodgers has yet to be named.

"Running TV One has been an honor, a privilege and a labor of love for me," said Rodgers in a statement. "I was able to bring all my experiences from my previous jobs to help create this wonderful network. I want to thank [Comcast CEO] Brian Roberts and Comcast for their support, and especially [Radio One CEO] Alfred Liggins for his vision in creating and funding TV One and for allowing me to run it for the past seven years. There could have been no better way to cap off a long and satisfying career in the television business for me than to help build a sustainable channel that African American adults, indeed all Americans can be very proud of."

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R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.