How Keisha Taylor Starr Turned ION Into a Women's Sports Powerhouse in 24 Months

EVP, GM, or CMO - why pick one when you can be all 3? In this episode of Marketing Vanguard, Keisha Taylor Starr, EVP, CMO, and General Manager of Scripps Networks, proves that intersectionality and a diverse skill set can take your marketing game to the next level. Tune in for their discussion on how strategic repositioning can drive record-breaking audience engagement, why marketers must balance creative risk with financial rigor and the leadership moves required to shape an industry built for diverse voices. Keisha Taylor Starr is Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, and General Manager of Scripps Networks at The E.W. Scripps Company, bringing expertise in media marketing, brand strategy, and P&L management. With a career spanning agency work at BBDO, leadership roles at CNN, Turner Broadcasting, and Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as experience in collegiate sports marketing, she has consistently driven innovative transformations across news, entertainment, and sports properties. Her leadership in ION's rebrand into a general entertainment network with pioneering women's sports programming has resulted in record-breaking audience engagement and Google TV's most-watched free live channel designation in 2024, demonstrating how CMOs can balance creative vision with financial accountability. What You'll Learn: How to transition from CMO to General Manager by gaining P&L ownership Why sports franchises are essential programming investments The strategy behind rebranding a legacy network for new audiences How to balance creative ambition with financial rigor as a CMO The importance of diverse representation in leadership and decision-making How to expand sports definition and create inclusive programming Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.