Kevin Reilly Reups WarnerMedia Contract, Adds TruTV Oversight; Chris Linn Exits

Kevin Reilly, President TBS, TNT and Chief Creative Officer Turner and Direct-to-Consumer, has extended his contract with a new four-year deal through 2022. As part of the extension, Reilly is expanding his portfolio to add the last remaining network from the former Turner Broadcast System, truTV. As a result of the reorganization, truTV’s President Chris Linn is stepping down after a six-tear tenure.

Reilly’s new title is President of TBS, TNT and truTV and Chief Content Officer, WarnerMedia Direct-to-Consumer.

Locking in Reilly marks the first major executive move by Bob Greenblatt since he was named Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment in March. It erases any doubts about Railly’s future that may have been raised by the appointment of Greenblatt, which came a couple of months after Reilly’s December 2018 promotion that put him in charge of creative for WarnerMedia’s upcoming Direct-to-Consumer platform in addition to his duties as President of TNT and TBS.

At the WarnerMedia upfront presentation yesterday, Reilly presented a vision for close cooperation between WarnerMedia’s linear networks and the streaming platform and a plan to revamp the brand identities of formerly drama-centric TNT and comedy-focused TBS with the introduction of more unscripted programming on TNT slate and drama on TBS.

“Kevin has a long-standing reputation as an industry leader and his accomplishments throughout his career — and particularly at this company — are remarkable,” said Greenblatt, to whom Reilly will continue to report. “He will continue to head up our important cable networks as well as oversee the robust content strategy for our new direct-to-consumer streaming service. I look forward to our continued collaboration as we move these valuable WarnerMedia properties forward under Kevin. At the same time, I thank Chris Linn for his leadership and dedication to re-branding and building truTV over the last several years.”

Shortly after joining then-Turner Entertainment in 2014, Reilly spearheaded a brand refocus for TBS on bold sensibility and digital and socially-driven content and TNT on programming aimed at younger, more dual-gendered audience. The efforts have yielded such shows as Full frontal with Samantha Bee and Search Party on TBS and The Alienist, I Am the Night and Claws on TNT. Reilly also orchestrated a joint venture with Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco, and  spearheaded new businesses such as ELEAGUE, and the recently announced new All Elite Wrestling league.

Before joining TBS and TNT, Reilly served as president of entertainment for Fox (2007-2014), president of entertainment at NBC (2004-2007), president of entertainment at FX (2000-2003), and president of television at Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (1994-2000).

Linn, who joined TuTV as President in 2014, oversaw the network’s 2014 rebrand as a comedy network with a distinct point of view. Some of the successful, talent-driven series launched on his watch include I’m Sorry, Adam Ruins Everything, At Home with Amy Sedaris, The Carbonaro Effect, and Tacoma FD. During his tenure Linn also acquired the popular variety sketch series Billy on the Street and earned the network its first Emmy Award nomination in 2017.